Leon Macdonald's return from an overseas holiday has coincided with an increase in the workload for stable star Rebel Raider whose preparation for the Melbourne Cup is in full swing.Macdonald and his wife Pam recently returned from travelling in Scotland and Russia with racing put on the backburner for a few weeks.But now the trainer is back in Adelaide, it's all systems go for the Melbourne Cup favourite who has been back at Morphettville for about a month."I didn't see a race the whole time I

Leon Macdonald's return from an overseas holiday has coincided with an increase in the workload for stable star Rebel Raider whose preparation for the Melbourne Cup is in full swing.

Macdonald and his wife Pam recently returned from travelling in Scotland and Russia with racing put on the backburner for a few weeks.

But now the trainer is back in Adelaide, it's all systems go for the Melbourne Cup favourite who has been back at Morphettville for about a month.

"I didn't see a race the whole time I was away," Macdonald said.

"But we are back into it now.

"Rebel Raider looks a million dollars. He had his first real gallop on Tuesday when he went even time.

"He's a big, strong horse but although he's big he doesn't carry any fat and just looks great.

"He will have his first start for the spring in the Penny Edition at home and then go to Melbourne."

The Listed Penny Edition (1400m) at weight-for-age is at Morphettville on August 22 after which Rebel Raider's targets are the Group Two Makybe Diva (1600m) at Flemington on September 5, the Group One Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield two weeks later and the Group One Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 3.

After the Turnbull, connections will decide whether to aim at the Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 17 or the Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley a week later.

At this stage Macdonald favours the Caulfield Cup believing Rebel Raider's wins in the Victoria Derby and South Australian Derby show he is an outstanding stayer.

"How he goes in the Makybe Diva and the Underwood will probably determine whether he goes to the Cox Plate," he said.

"He might just be a real out and out stayer but those races will tell us whether he has the brilliance to win a Cox Plate."

Bookmakers have Rebel Raider the $17 favourite in early markets for the Melbourne Cup with nominations due on August 4.

A son of Reset who retired to stud unbeaten, Rebel Raider was an upset winner of the Victoria Derby when he beat odds-on favourite Whobegotyou.

He belied a lacklustre Sydney autumn campaign with a bold victory in his home town Derby to earn Melbourne Cup favouritism.

Exhaustive veterinary tests following his three Sydney failures failed to show any problems and Macdonald said a bone spur was the only explanation he could find.

He believes Rebel Raider feels the spur when he runs in the right-handed direction but it doesn't bother him when he goes anticlockwise in the southern states.

So while Macdonald will continue to travel overseas every year, Rebel Raider won't be going too far from home.

"His passport has been stamped "never to race north of the Murray"," Macdonald said.

"It looks obvious that he just doesn't handle the right-handed direction even though we don't really know why."