Impressive debut winner Beneteau will head to Melbourne early next week to prepare for a tilt at the $1 million Blue Diamond Stakes.Trainer Paul Messara confirmed the decision had been made to target the Melbourne race with the colt to have his next start in the Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield on February 6.That sets up a clash between the two Blue Diamond favourites as the Peter Snowden-trained Secession is set to resume in the Prelude.Beneteau surged into second favouritism for the B

Impressive debut winner Beneteau will head to Melbourne early next week to prepare for a tilt at the $1 million Blue Diamond Stakes.

Trainer Paul Messara confirmed the decision had been made to target the Melbourne race with the colt to have his next start in the Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield on February 6.

That sets up a clash between the two Blue Diamond favourites as the Peter Snowden-trained Secession is set to resume in the Prelude.

Beneteau surged into second favouritism for the Blue Diamond behind Secession after a stunning debut win at Randwick on Australia Day.

Messara and connections then had to decide whether to go to Melbourne to chase the Blue Diamond, to be run over 1200m on February 20, or remain in Sydney and aim solely at the Golden Slipper.

"I wanted to see how he came through the race before we decided to go (to Melbourne), and he's come through it that well," Messara said.

"The opportunity is there to contest a Group One where I think he's a better than average chance. If the horse had been a little bit lethargic after his debut and needed a few more days to get over it we might have re-considered. But he's come through the race really well."

Beneteau scored by 2-3/4 lengths in the 1000m 2YO Maiden at Randwick on Tuesday and Messara said the colt would take great benefit from the experience.

"He will improve a lot. He lost a shoe at the gates, which a lot of people might not know, and that's probably why he didn't corner that well," he said.

"We felt had he not lost a plate that he might have stretched out even better in the straight."

Beneteau will leave for Melbourne early next week to prepare for the Blue Diamond Prelude.

"Provided he runs well in that race he'll then go to the Blue Diamond," the trainer said.

Messara plans to work Beneteau a couple of times at Caulfield before the Prelude to familiarise him with the surroundings.

The $3.5 million Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on April 3 is also still on the cards for Beneteau if he stands up to the preparation.

Messara said, providing everything goes to plan in Melbourne, he would look to give Beneteau one lead-up run in Sydney prior to the Golden Slipper.