After almost five months in the paddock, Dolphin Jo has returned to Terry and Karina O'Sullivan's Stawell stables in preparation for another Melbourne Cup campaign.
The five year-old was floated back to Stawell last week after a lengthy stint at owners Glenis and Lois Herrmann's property near Hamilton.
Clearly delighted to have the High Rent gelding back in work, Terry O'Sullivan said the lead up to the horse's spring campaign would be a slow one.
"He will start off just trotting and cantering and will do a bit of swimming," Terry said.
"It will be slow worked for about five or six weeks and we start galloping after that. We don't gallop hard or fast, but just keep increasing the distance of the gallops."
O'Sullivan said he felt Dolphin Jo hadn't had a significant spell since his three year-old days, claiming that as the reason for his lengthly lay-off.
"He went through the St Leger and had a short break after that and then he came back and went through the spring. He had another short break and then he raced in the autumn last year.
"He has had it pretty solid and we just felt he needed a good spell.
Following Dolphin Jo's victory in the St Leger back in April 2006, the horse was given a three month break before beginning his Cup campaign. After a 15th placing in the 2006 Melbourne Cup, Dolphin Jo was given a four and a half month break before returning to racing in late March last year.
However, the O'Sullivans' plans are distinctly different this time around with the horse likely to have a break of somewhere up to eight months before his race return.
Terry said Dolphin Jo had definitely grown during his time on the sidelines and expected him to trial sometime in June.
"We think it has been pretty beneficial, but time will tell whether we are right or wrong.
"He will start racing in July, we will start him a bit earlier because I have found the Melbourne Cup comes around pretty quickly."
Stablemate Tails Of Triomphe is set to leave Victoria on a high note after a close-up second in the Even Stevens Handicap (2394 metres) on Saturday.
The group one winner will now run in the group two Chairman's Stakes the weekend prior to his run in the Sydney Cup.
Tails Of Triomphe was beaten just under a length by Grand Destiny in Saturday's race at Caulfield.
Terry said while naturally hoping the horse had won, the run proved he had come through the Adelaide Cup campaign well and would be better suited over more ground.
Tailos of Triomphe will head to Sydney on either the Wednesday or Thursday before his run on Saturday, April 26.