Alessandro winning at Cranbourne in October (Image: Racing Photos)
A Tuesday morning reconnaissance at The Valley has Robbie Griffiths optimistic the major query he had over Alessandro's Alister Clark Stakes prospects may not prove the issue he feared.
The Cranbourne trainer made the trip to Moonee Ponds to give the hulking colt a look at the venue for Friday night's 2040-metre Group 2 event.
His size, combined with the tight layout at The Valley, has Griffiths slightly concerned, but a positive report from jockey Damian Lane was music to his ears on Tuesday morning.
"There is a big query about him at The Valley, he's a big horse, so whether he handles The Valley (is a question mark), but he galloped well there Tuesday morning," Griffiths said.
"Damian Lane galloped him Tuesday morning and he was happy with the way he got around the track."
The son of Fiorente will be lining up for start number five in the set-weights event for three-year-olds.
Alessandro won a Pakenham maiden and a Benchmark 64 on Cranbourne Cup Day from starts in his initial campaign last spring and resumed with a pleasing second to Snipes over an unsuitable 1600m at Bendigo on February 26.
WATCH: Alessandro's first-up run at Bendigo
Griffiths said the distance of Friday night's race may prove too short once again and said Alessandro would show his best once he got out to 2400m, which he hopes will be in the $2 million G1 ATC Derby on April 6.
"He's bred to do Classic racing," Griffiths said. "He's a Fiorente - who was a Melbourne Cup winner, a champion horse and is looking like being a great stallion - and he's out of a Galileo mare who was a good Stakes-placed mare in an Oaks in Ireland.
"He's bred to be a Classic runner and he's shaping up that way and we're really happy with him.
"He'll love the 2000, but he's going to be a better horse at a mile-and-a-half. If he pleases us on Friday night, he heads to the Tulloch (Stakes) into two weeks in Sydney and then a seven-day back up into the Derby."
Alessandro, a $26 chance in BetEasy's ATC Derby market, is a $10 chance in the Alister Clark Stakes market, which is headed by last-start Autumn Classic winner Global Exchange ($2.90).