Trainer Bevan Laming hopes to sort out interstate plans for emerging middle-distance galloper Crossthestart after the gelding returns from a short break at Eagle Farm.Crossthestart will be ridden by regular jockey Jim Byrne when he tackles Saturday's Paynter Dixon Qld Handicap (1500m), his first start since winning over 2020 metres at Doomben six weeks ago.Laming plans to give the five-year-old another Brisbane start before deciding whether to send him to Sydney for the Group One Metropolitan (2

Trainer Bevan Laming hopes to sort out interstate plans for emerging middle-distance galloper Crossthestart after the gelding returns from a short break at Eagle Farm.

Crossthestart will be ridden by regular jockey Jim Byrne when he tackles Saturday's Paynter Dixon Qld Handicap (1500m), his first start since winning over 2020 metres at Doomben six weeks ago.

Laming plans to give the five-year-old another Brisbane start before deciding whether to send him to Sydney for the Group One Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on October 3 or head straight to Melbourne for the spring.

Crossthestart has been nominated for next month's Group One Caulfield Cup (2400m) and Laming has a number of paths he can take if he decides to head for the Melbourne feature.

"He's not qualified for the Caulfield Cup yet and I haven't nominated him for the Melbourne Cup," Laming said.

"If I think he'll get two miles (3200 metres) I'll nominate him for the Melbourne Cup next year.

"At this stage I think he's too immature for a big race like that and we don't know if he'll stay yet."

Laming has several options up his sleeve to qualify Crossthestart for the Caulfield Cup including the Group Three Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on September 19 and the Group Two Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield on October 10.

Laming was reluctant to compare Crossthestart with his former star stayer Desert Chill who won two Brisbane Cups in 1995 and 1997 when the feature was a Group One over 3200 metres.

However, he did rate the son of Cape Cross superior to his former top staying mare Yakama who won the Herbert Power in 2003 for jockey Damien Oliver.

"Yakama was a good mare and she won the Herbert Power before she ran a good race to finish eighth to Makybe Diva in the Melbourne Cup," Laming said.

"Michael Rodd rode her in the Melbourne Cup and that was his first Cup ride.

"It's too hard yet to compare him (Crossthestart) to Desert Chill but it's not too early to compare him to Yakama. I think he's better than her."

Laming decided not to give Crossthestart, a six-time winner from 18 starts, a barrier trial ahead of his comeback but still expects him to be competitive.

"I gave him 10 days off after his last-start win at Doomben and I think he's on target for the spring," he said.

"If he keeps improving he'll make a good handicapper but he's fresh enough to run 1500 metres as I haven't barrier-trialled him."

Crossthestart won three of his first five starts in New Zealand before arriving in Australia as a three-year-old.

"He started off with Ralph Manning who won those three races with him in New Zealand," Laming said.

"Then Roger James had him when he came to Australia but he went no good and then Peter Moody had him in Melbourne but couldn't win with him."