The barrier draw for the Blue Diamond Stakes has not been that kind for Godolphin and James Cummings who is chasing a first win in Melbourne's premier juvenile race.
Barber (9), Zulfiqar (15) and Exploring (13) will represent Godolphin in the Group 1 race for two-year-olds over 1200m at Sandown on Saturday.
A field of 16 will contest the race with two emergencies – Sensical (12) and Beauty Rising (10) – drawing middle gates on the Lakeside course.
Cummings and the Godolphin team took advantage of the course proper being open for gallops on Tuesday morning and gave the trio some experience on the Lakeside course.
Barber, Zulfiqar and Exploring are all last start winners at Sandown, but those wins came out of the chute with a dogleg to negotiate, while Saturday's race is on the round course.
Sean Keogh, who runs the Melbourne stable for Cummings, said Saturday's race will be a different proposition for the trio following their recent wins.
Keogh said the stable took advantage of having a look at the Lakeside course as part of the education process of getting the youngsters to be professional on race day.
"James took advantage of that by getting them out for a gallop on Tuesday morning," Keogh said.
"The horses coped quite well with the occasion and had their gallops as they were scheduled to do, and their work was excellent."
Barber and Zulfiqar paired off with each other while Exploring worked with stablemate Pericles.
"There wasn't much between Zulfiqar and Barber," Keogh said.
"Zulfqar led out and they were head and head from the two-furlong marker, and it was nice work, just as James would want them to be, and they were striding out well."
Keogh said Barber had taken improvement from his victory in the Prelude on February 11 while Zulfiqar was more tractable getting on his right leg in the Tuesday's gallop.
"Being on his wrong from the chute wasn't as detrimental as racing on the Lakeside, so it was beneficial to come here and give him a feel of the Lakeside course," Keogh said.
"He worked without the headgear and will race with the blinkers on which we hope will give him that little extra edge."
Keogh said Exploring had taken the stable a little by surprise in making the Blue Diamond field.
"Her effort in the Preview (when fourth) was excellent when she was up on the speed facing the breeze," Keogh said.
"We then took her back to Sandown after that and she produced an excellent piece of work prior to the Saturday when she won the Prelude.
"There were no surprises there, but she's back against the boys, out to 1200 metres, so she's got it all ahead of her."
Barber and the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained filly Steel City, drawn ideally in barrier 5, share the head of the market at $5.50 from The Instructor (6) and Don Corleone (3) at $8.
Zulfiqar is a $21 chance while Exploring is a $19 hope in latest markets.
Anthony and Sam Freedman, chasing a third consecutive win in the Blue Diamond after victories with Artorius and Daumier, has De Sonic Boom (barrier 8) engaged who is a $51 chance.
