Masculino winning at Flemington on Saturday (Image: Racing Photos)
Mick Price's winning machine Masculino will return to the scene of his first metropolitan victory later this month.
The four-year-old gelding improved his record to six wins from 14 starts when claiming last Saturday's $100,000 VRC Employee Volunteer Program Trophy (1720m), under Benchmark 84 conditions, at Flemington.
Masculino has won four metropolitan races, three of those last season in three-year-old handicaps, with his two most convincing wins both over 2000m last June.
The son of Smart Missile will contest an open handicap (2040m) worth $120,000 at The Valley on December 29 instead of the $120,000 Listed Lord Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield on Boxing Day.
"We're keen to step him up to 2000 metres for his next run," Price's Bloodstock manager Luke Wilkinson told Racing.com. Wilkinson purchased Masculino for $120,000 as a yearling and carries his colours.
"He is a gelding and went from an 84 to an 89-handicap rating after winning on Saturday. There's no point running in Listed races right now."
WATCH: Masculino's Saturday win
Masculino is likely to be supported by stablemate Oceanex, also raced by Wilkinson, at The Valley on December 29.
Oceanex caught the attention of many when winning her 1700-metre maiden at Geelong last Saturday by 7.5 lengths on heavy ground.
The three-year-old filly by Ocean Park will have her next start in either a $100,000 Benchmark 70 handicap (1600m) for fillies and mares at The Valley or run at Flemington on New Year's Day in a $135,000 Benchmark 70 handicap (1800m) for three and four-year-olds.
"Our preference is to run at Moonee Valley because we'd like to keep her against her own sex," Wilkinson said.
"We're very wary that a small percentage of horses win their next start after winning their maiden."
Oceanex was purchased by Wilkinson for NZ$70,000 from the 2017 NZ Bloodstock Premier yearling sale. She is eligible for the $1 million Karaka Millions 3YO Classic (1600m) held at Ellerslie on January 26.
However, Group 1 races later in the season, such as the Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville on May 4 and Queensland Oaks (2400m) at Eagle Farm on May 25, remain her priority.
Oceanex is a filly bred to stay. Her sire Ocean Park won the 2012 G1 Cox Plate while she's out of 2005 G1 New Zealand Oaks fourth placegetter Danex.
Danex produced 2014 G3 Rough Habit Plate winner Amexed and 2010 G1 VRC Derby fourth placegetter Digital Fortress.
WATCH: Oceanex's Saturday win