Dual Sydney stakes winner Rabbuka will have his first start since being purchased by the Eric Musgrove stable at Caulfield on Saturday.Formerly owned by Goree Pastoral Company and prepared for most of his career by Gai Waterhouse, Rabbuka has been with the Cranbourne trainer for six weeks and will run in an open handicap over 1400m."He's the right type and should do the job which is good," Musgrove said of the Giant's Causeway seven-year-old."He'll start on the flat and then go jumping and we'll

Dual Sydney stakes winner Rabbuka will have his first start since being purchased by the Eric Musgrove stable at Caulfield on Saturday.

Formerly owned by Goree Pastoral Company and prepared for most of his career by Gai Waterhouse, Rabbuka has been with the Cranbourne trainer for six weeks and will run in an open handicap over 1400m.

"He's the right type and should do the job which is good," Musgrove said of the Giant's Causeway seven-year-old.

"He'll start on the flat and then go jumping and we'll see what happens.

"His flat days we're not too sure about. He might have got to the stage where he's not giving 100 per cent but he should like the (jumps) caper."

Musgrove is a renowned trainer of jumpers and among his best career achievements was preparing Karasi to win three successive Nakayama Grand Jumps in Japan.

Rabbuka had his last outing for Waterhouse when 11th to Firebolt in the Group Two Shannon Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on September 18.

The gelding won eight races for Waterhouse and placed five other times for $395,650 in earnings.

His best wins were both at Listed level at Rosehill, in the Festival Stakes (1500m), when resuming last December, and in the Frank Underwood Cup (2000m) in January when he beat Spinney and Zavite.

Rabbuka has a solid first-up record of four wins from six runs and those were at 1400m, 1500m (twice) and 1550m.

"He could be one run short but he should run a nice race I would imagine," Musgrove said.

"He might need just a little bit more ground. (I think) 1500 metres seems to be his go (first up)."

There were 28 entries for the race in which the highest rated horse is comeback galloper Banana Man.

The Mick Kent-trained Banana Man hasn't raced since running third to Zavite in the Adelaide Cup (3200m) at Morphettville in March last year.

Other nominations include last Saturday's Sandown winner Jungle Ruler and Royal Ida who was scratched from Sandown because of a heavy track.

Royal Ida was second-up when third to Avenue in the Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1300m) at Sandown on November 13.

Caulfield trainer Luke Oliver said the Star Pyramul 10-year-old would have another crack at the Group Three $200,000 Standish Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on January 1, a race he won this year, before campaigning in Tasmania.

Oliver took Royal Ida to Tasmania for one run last summer and the gelding won the Thomas Listed Lyons Stakes (1400m) at Hobart in February beating Conquering and Life To The Full.