Kembla Grange will host Group-level talent at next week's Classic day, but on Tuesday Illawarra punters were treated to a genuine superstar of the track striding out.
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James Cummings arrived with champion sprinter Bivouac, as he maps out the rest of his preparation, as well as resuming Group 1 winner Kementari.
In a 1000m gallop between races, jockey Glen Boss sat off Kementari, ridden by Rachel King, on Bivouac, before letting down in the straight to finish ahead, the work a key indicator for Cummings' next move.
Beaten by Nature Strip first-up over 1000m at Flemington, Bivouac is nominated for the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) and the Group 1 1300m Canterbury Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
"We're probably leaning a little bit more towards the Canterbury Stakes at this stage," Cummings told Sky Racing.
"But there's plenty of speed in his legs, if we feel like he's the right horse to keep at 1000m this time, before we start to ramp him up to the TJ Smith in another month.
"He regularly takes a run to get going and he's done that again this preparation.
"We can just see in himself that he's improved again, his muscle tone is better.
"And he's now feeling fit enough to be working as strong as that and get a good indication that he's ready to run a big race."
Trainer Chris Waller confirmed Nature Strip will run in the Challenge Stakes.
Six-year-old Kementari broke a 1001-day winning drought when he took out the Group 3 AJ Scahill Stakes in Perth in December and is also nominated for the Canterbury Stakes.