The Villiers Stakes picture will become clearer after Saturday when several leading contenders clash in the Listed Festival Stakes at Rosehill.The 1500-metre race has long been a key guide to the Group Two Villiers at Randwick on December 19 but with another traditional lead-up, the Hawkesbury Cup, run earlier this year to coincide with Oaks day at Flemington, the Festival Stakes has become even more significant.Trainer Guy Walter will use Saturday's feature as a litmus test for his two Villiers

The Villiers Stakes picture will become clearer after Saturday when several leading contenders clash in the Listed Festival Stakes at Rosehill.

The 1500-metre race has long been a key guide to the Group Two Villiers at Randwick on December 19 but with another traditional lead-up, the Hawkesbury Cup, run earlier this year to coincide with Oaks day at Flemington, the Festival Stakes has become even more significant.

Trainer Guy Walter will use Saturday's feature as a litmus test for his two Villiers hopefuls, Lyncean Academy and I've Got Talent.

Lyncean Academy showed a dazzling turn of foot to score a come-from-behind win last start while I've Got Talent has been working into form and should be nearing his peak after three runs from a spell.

However, both have form over staying trips and Walter's one concern is maintaining their fresh edge going into the 1600 metres of the Villiers.

"With Lyncean Academy, I suppose the concern with him is will he be looking for further by the time the Villiers comes around," Walter said.

"If that is the case there is always the Tatt's Cup after it."

Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Corey Brown takes over from Hugh Bowman on Saturday while Glyn Schofield will partner I've Got Talent.

I've Got Talent has started favourite at his last couple of starts and his supporters haven't been rewarded but Walter believes the gelding will strip much fitter for his recent racing.

"He's had three runs back and he's a big, gross horse so he would have benefited from those," Walter said.

"If he runs well Saturday he will probably head to the Villiers, the Randwick mile would suit him.

"But then he is probably in the same boat as the other bloke, he might be looking for further by then.

"Saturday's race will be a good pointer."

Lyncean Academy has drawn barrier seven while I've Got Talent will jump from the outside gate, 15.

The Festival Stakes will also be a Villiers springboard for the likes of the Gai Waterhouse-trained pair of Rabbuka and Rockwood, who lumped a big weight to score a courageous victory last start.

Pat Webster will start Goulburn Cup winner Parfumier while Theophorus will take his place despite throwing a scare into the Gary Nickson stable when he returned to the enclosure with blood coming from a nostril following his second to Lyncean Academy.

A scope revealed no internal bleeding and he subsequently galloped to the satisfaction of stewards who concluded the blood must have resulted from a head knock in the barrier stalls.

Theophorus was the $6.50 equal favourite in TAB Sportsbet's opening markets alongside Vintedge and Walking Or Dancing while Lyncean Academy was at $7.50 and I've Got Talent $10.