Gerald Ryan's stable stars Melito and Rothesay are on target for their Group One assignments in Melbourne with the trainer excited about their prospects.Dual Group One winner Melito's preparation has been stepped up ahead of a clash with Hay List next month while Rothesay has rebounded from a setback which kept him out of the Epsom Handicap.Crowned NSW Horse of the Year for her deeds throughout 2009-10, Melito will have a short spring campaign aimed at the Patinack Farm Classic at Flemington on

Gerald Ryan's stable stars Melito and Rothesay are on target for their Group One assignments in Melbourne with the trainer excited about their prospects.

Dual Group One winner Melito's preparation has been stepped up ahead of a clash with Hay List next month while Rothesay has rebounded from a setback which kept him out of the Epsom Handicap.

Crowned NSW Horse of the Year for her deeds throughout 2009-10, Melito will have a short spring campaign aimed at the Patinack Farm Classic at Flemington on November 6.

Melito pleased trainer Gerald Ryan with her close second to Mic Mac in a Rosehill barrier trial last week, her first public outing since her Winter Stakes win at the end of June.

Ryan plans to give her a warm-up for the Patinack in the Schweppes Stakes at Moonee Valley on October 23.

"She's terrific, Ryan said.

"She will go to Melbourne this week and have a barrier trial up the straight at Flemington.

"She will just have a light spring with just the two races and then I see no reason why she can't come back in the autumn and run in all the same races she ran on this year.

Melito contested six Group One races in the autumn and winter, winning the TJ Smith Stakes in April then running four placings before ending her campaign with victory in the Winter Stakes at Eagle Farm at the end of June.

She went to Melbourne last spring and was placed in the Thousand Guineas and Wakeful Stakes before failing over 2400 metres in the VRC Oaks.

Ryan switched her sprint distances for her next campaign with spectacular results.

Joining Melito in Queensland was Rothesay who won the Lord Mayor's Cup and the Queensland Guineas.

He came back from a short spell to run second to More Joyous in the Sebring Sprint but subsequently had to be treated for a slight virus and missed Saturday's Epsom Handicap won by Captain Sonador.

"Rothesay has bounced back and he's fine now," Ryan said.

"He will run at Rosehill on the 23rd and then head to Melbourne for the Emirates Stakes on the same day as Melito runs in the Patinack."

Ryan has gone back to the drawing board with the enigmatic Hinchinbrook who runs in a barrier trial at Randwick on Friday.

Hinchinbrook ran fourth in the Golden Slipper and third in the AJC Sires' Produce in the autumn but failed to show the same zip in three runs this spring.

"I've freshened him up but I'm still not sure exactly what we'll do with him," Ryan said.