In-form sprinter Grand Duels looks an ominous threat as he prepares to return to his favourite track for the Listed Kensington Stakes.The seven-year-old has won his last two starts at Caulfield, including the Listed Christmas Stakes last start on Boxing Day, but it is at Flemington where he has recorded his career highlights.On Saturday he will carry topweight of 59.5kg in the Kensington (1000m) in a bid to set the record straight after he won the race three years ago over 1100m only to be disqu

In-form sprinter Grand Duels looks an ominous threat as he prepares to return to his favourite track for the Listed Kensington Stakes.

The seven-year-old has won his last two starts at Caulfield, including the Listed Christmas Stakes last start on Boxing Day, but it is at Flemington where he has recorded his career highlights.

On Saturday he will carry topweight of 59.5kg in the Kensington (1000m) in a bid to set the record straight after he won the race three years ago over 1100m only to be disqualified after a positive swab.

Two starts later he was third to Australian Racehorse of the Year Weekend Hussler and international sprinter Magnus in the 2008 Newmarket Handicap at Flemington and the following August won the Aurie's Star Handicap (1200m).

He also finished third to another Australian Racehorse of the Year, Scenic Blast, at weight-for-age in the 2009 Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington.

Steven Arnold had his first ride on Grand Duels in the Christmas Stakes and is keen on the gelding's chances of making it three wins in a row.

"He is racing well and he goes well down the straight," Arnold said.

"He seems to be in career-best form so you would think with a little freshen-up after his last win he would run well again."

Trainer Byron Cozamanis has incorporated a lot of swimming into Grand Duels' training program sparking the impressive return to winning form.

Cozamanis said Grand Duels had a "shocking action" and was probably better suited to running in a straight line rather than having to negotiate a turn.

Arnold said Grand Duels was just below the top sprinters but was still very capable of winning his share of races with his explosive sprint.

"He just likes to get a little bit of cover through the first half of a race and has quite a good turn of foot," Arnold said.

"He (Cozamanis) has placed him pretty well and it looks the same again on Saturday."

Silver Bullion and Secret Flyer are also set to clash with Grand Duels in a showdown of past winners of the Kensington Stakes.

While Grand Duels failed to retain the race in 2008, Silver Billion won last year and Secret Flyer won in 2009 and was seventh in 2010.