Centennial Park faces a much tougher first-up assignment in Saturday's Group Two Expressway Stakes than trainer David Payne expected.But the horseman admits the 1200-metre feature at Rosehill will provide a great autumn springboard for the Thorn Park gelding.Payne has nominated the four-year-old for the Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick on April 17.The quality field of eight in the Expressway includes dual Group One-winning sprinter Danleigh, Group Two winner Rangirangdoo, Spring Champion Stake

Centennial Park faces a much tougher first-up assignment in Saturday's Group Two Expressway Stakes than trainer David Payne expected.

But the horseman admits the 1200-metre feature at Rosehill will provide a great autumn springboard for the Thorn Park gelding.

Payne has nominated the four-year-old for the Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick on April 17.

The quality field of eight in the Expressway includes dual Group One-winning sprinter Danleigh, Group Two winner Rangirangdoo, Spring Champion Stakes runner-up Gathering and Group One-placed Prima Nova.

"I thought it would be a fairly weak race but it will be very competitive and a lot stronger than I thought it would be," Payne said.

"I think Rangirangdoo will be very hard to beat, he's a class horse.

"But while it's going to be tough it's a good test for Centennial Park, he has to step up if he is to press on towards a race like the Doncaster."

The Expressway is traditionally a good pointer to the autumn carnival and in recent years has been won by the likes of Mentality (2007) and Court's In Session (2005) who both went on to finish runner-up in the Doncaster.

Also on the honour roll in the last 15 years are Lonhro (2003), Tie The Knot (2001) and Saintly (1996) who all went on to Group One wins later in the autumn.

Centennial Park has not raced since coming from near last to edge out Expressway rival McClintock by a nose in the Group Three AAMI Stakes (1400m) at Flemington in October.

He teamed up with race rider Blake Shinn to win a 1030-metre barrier trial at Rosehill on January 22.

"He's fit and well and we'll see him doing his best first-up I'm sure," Payne said.

"I don't want it to be a bog track, that's the only concern, but he'll still run on the heavy."

Track manager Lindsay Murphy said the Rosehill surface was slow on Thursday and he expected further downgrades for Saturday.

"We've had 51 mils of rain since Wednesday morning and with the forecast for more rain it will be heavy on the weekend," Murphy said.

Centennial Park has two wins from three first-up starts and five of his six career victories have been at Rosehill.

Out of the Last Tycoon mare Trephina, Centennial Park has two wins and a placing from five starts on tracks worse than dead.

Payne said Centennial Park would be aimed at the Group Two Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on February 20.

TAB Sportsbet has the Chris Waller-trained Rangirangdoo as $3 favourite for the Expressway ahead of stablemate Danleigh ($4.20) while Centennial Park is at $8.