Recent country performances have groomed former Victoria Derby hope Bashan for a return to city racing and a likely crack at next month's Queensland Guineas.
The three-year-old proved too headstrong last spring when he unsuccessfully targeted a series of stakes races.
This campaign he is much more relaxed and is starting to deliver promising results.
Saturday's James Boags Plate (1400m) at Flemington is the reward for his improved form ahead of another Flemington event over 1600 metres on May 19 to confirm his Brisbane trip.
"He just wasn't race smart enough last spring but we brought him back this time and I couldn't be happier with him," trainer Shaun Dwyer said .
Dwyer has trained Bashan since the start of this campaign but the horse, formerly in the care of Richard Otto, has been at his stables since coming from New Zealand last August.
He has only raced eight times and was unplaced in his New Zealand debut at Hastings in July.
He should have won his maiden at his second Australian appearance at Ballarat when beaten in a photo finish after bolting on the way to the barrier and being held up a critical point of the September 18 race.
He was beaten nine lengths when unplaced in the Listed UCI Stakes (1800m) at Flemington and Derby plans were sunk when he was beaten more than 27 lengths after over-racing badly in the Group Three Norman Robinson Stakes (2000m).
Dwyer said this campaign had been all about getting Bashan to settle. Since a change in race tactics to ride him back in the field, he has posted an easy maiden win at Geelong and two placings at Bendigo in three runs this campaign.
"He is stepping up to city three-year-old class again but he is going well," Dwyer said.
"He is relaxing now, doing everything right and working well."
He said with more experience he would have won more easily than by 2-1/2 lengths over 1400 metres at Geelong on March 29 while last start he got out too late when a fast-finishing second to Stacey Lee over 1300 metres at Bendigo.
"He's a big powerful fellow and riding him back is the key," Dwyer said.
"He's going to be better at a mile and 2000 metres but I think he will run all right on Saturday.
"If he can win then a mile at Flemington in a fortnight then the Queensland Guineas is there for him in Brisbane.
On Saturday Bashan is $31 in an open race with Peter Moody-trained Club Command ($4.60) and Hot Lover ($5) from the Patrick Payne yard fighting out favouritism on TAB Sportsbet.
