Evergreen jockey Robert Thompson will head to Randwick for just one ride on Saturday, but for a colt of Exploitable Doubt's potential he's only too happy to make the trip.Exploitable Doubt showcased his potential in October when he raced away from a handy three-year-old field at Rosehill on the back of two country successes.The Not A Single Doubt colt failed to run the mile (1600m) at Randwick a week later, but makes his 2011 return in Saturday's royalrandwick.com Handicap (1200m) with a chance

Evergreen jockey Robert Thompson will head to Randwick for just one ride on Saturday, but for a colt of Exploitable Doubt's potential he's only too happy to make the trip.

Exploitable Doubt showcased his potential in October when he raced away from a handy three-year-old field at Rosehill on the back of two country successes.

The Not A Single Doubt colt failed to run the mile (1600m) at Randwick a week later, but makes his 2011 return in Saturday's royalrandwick.com Handicap (1200m) with a chance to stamp his autumn credentials.

"I've always had a bit of an opinion of him but he's got to take the next step now, of course," Thompson, based at Cessnock in the NSW Hunter Valley, said.

Trained by Rodney Northam at Scone, Exploitable Doubt overraced in front in his first Sydney start on October 9 but it didn't stop him posting an impressive 2-1/4-length victory over 1400m.

"He was still fairly green and raw last preparation and was still learning a lot," Thompson said.

"He was much better the other day in his trial (over 900m at Muswellbrook), he settled back at the tail of them and ran to the line to finish second."

The experienced Group One-winning hoop hopes that is a sign of better things to come as the colt is likely to get his chance in stakes company as soon as February 12, with the Group Two Royal Sovereign Stakes (1200m) on the radar.

"He's bigger and stronger now," Thompson said.

"He's the best horse in Rod's stable. What he did last preparation was all on raw ability.

"Rod and I are both hoping he can take the next step now."

Exploitable Doubt is the second favourite at $2.80 with TAB Sportsbet, just behind the Gai Waterhouse-trained Fast Clip ($2.50) who will have race fitness on his side after his 2-1/2-length Gosford Class One win over 1100m on January 13.

The small field on Saturday, reduced to just five runners with the scratching of Pagliacci on Friday, includes the Mark De Montfort-trained FromThe Vault who is unbeaten in two first-up attempts.

From The Vault hasn't raced since October 9 at Rosehill when he started equal favourite with Exploitable Doubt but finished four lengths from the winner in seventh place.

The John Thompson-trained Maules Creek resumes in the same race on the back of an impressive Warwick Farm trial earlier this month.

Maules Creek, a well-bred son of Redoute's Choice, is having his first start as a gelding and is among nominations for the Group One Australian Guineas in Melbourne and the Group One Doncaster Mile in Sydney.