But one the great mare didn't contest was one of the most historical short-course events on the calendar - the group 1 Oakleigh Plate, a  helter-skelter dash over 1100 metres at Caulfield.

However, Tony McEvoy's sprinter Iconic has the chance to uphold family honour on Saturday when he steps out for his  irst run back from a spell. The four-year-old gelding is by Bel Esprit, as was Black Caviar, and he is out of Danavia, a half-sister to Helsinge, the mother of the champion.

This will be Iconic's first start since he ran seventh down the Flemington straight during the Melbourne Cup carnival behind Reparations. But many of his 17 rivals are also coming off a break and sprinters often put in their best performances while  still fresh, Iconic being a case in point: he has won three times and run second once from five starts first-up.

He also has a win at  the track and carries the luxury impost of 52.5 kilograms in addition to drawing barrier one. Rated 97 on the official rankings, Iconic is, unlike several of the others on the minimum burden, carrying his "correct" handicap weight.

While it is impossible to be overconfident in a race where 18 keyed-up sprinters will go hell for leather to the turn and then thunder down the Caulfield straight, McEvoy is optimistic that his four-year-old could register a fifth, and by far most important, career win.

"We were going to start off either in the Lightning or the Oakleigh Plate but decided against the former." McEvoy said. "We didn't want to take on Lankan Rupee and Deep Field. One is an absolute superstar and the world's best sprinter, the other was being tipped to beat him, so we thought we would come to Caulfield instead.

"He's a good horse fresh, he's won three times and has scored at Caulfield and hopefully he will give Chris Parnham a good ride."

Parnham is a member of a West Australian racing dynasty who has moved to Victoria to gain experience while still an apprentice. Rob Crabtree, one of Iconic's owners, booked him after seeing him ride trackwork at Mornington even though McEvoy did not know much about him.

Still, the youngster has outridden his claim in WA and showed his sense of timing when he won the group 3  Carlyon Cup on Smokin'  Joey at Caulfield on February 14.   Parnham partners the same galloper in the group 1  Futurity Stakes against hot favourite Dissident on Saturday.

McEvoy has enjoyed plenty of great days during his lengthy career as an assistant trainer for the Hayes operation at Lindsay Park, the stable's head trainer (after the death of Peter Hayes and before the return of David) and now as a trainer in his own right in an operation he has established with business partner Wayne Mitchell.

But if things go right, Saturday could rank with the best of them.

He has two contenders in the $1,015,000 Blue Diamond - Stoker, partnered by Damien Oliver, and the Nick Hall-ridden Manhattan Blues, as well as Alpine Eagle   in the group 2  Autumn Classic and  the ex-French galloper Big Memory in the Mornington Cup Prelude, both to be ridden by Oliver.

Alpine Eagle has created a big impression with easy wins in Adelaide over 1400 and 1600 metres at his past two starts,  and, as he is by High Chapparal (sire of So You Think) out of a mare by Zabeel, he should not find the 1800 metres any problem. Should Alpine Eagle measure up to better-class rivals, McEvoy is looking to aim the lightly raced three-year-old at the Australian Derby during Randwick's Championship meeting in April.