Trainer Andrew Noblet is looking forward to a return to Warrnambool with his jumper Out And Dreaming after missing the three-day Carnival last year.
Out And Dreaming first made his mark at the carnival in 2021 when successful in a division of the maiden hurdle before returning the following year to finish third behind Saunter Boy in the Galleywood Hurdle.
The jumper missed last year's carnival but is returning on Wednesday for a tilt at the Galleywood Hurdle (3200m).
Noblet explained Out And Dreaming possibly had a pinched nerve in the lead-up to last year's Carnival and eventually missed the entire jumps season.
"We were getting him ready for last year and I don't know if he pinched a nerve or something somewhere, so we had to give him a little let-up in his prep," Noblet said.
"He never went out. He was good when he went out, but he had missed too much for later on in the season and he also doesn't like it real wet.
"So, we pulled the pin and gave him a nice break and concentrated on this year."
Out And Dreaming began his build-up to Warrnambool late last year and trialled at Geelong on the flat in January.
At his only flat run, he finished well back over 1600m at Ballarat before winning a Terang hurdle school in early March.
At his only jumps run for the campaign, Out And Dreaming finished last in a 3200m hurdle at Pakenham on April 14, but Noblet saw enough in the run to believe he can be a force on Wednesday.
"He jumped well and was probably just a run short, but he got through the run really well, and that's what I wanted to see," Noblet said.
"He jumped beautifully. He probably jumped a bit too big at a couple of them early, but he's going well and has come back in good order.
"He's one of those horses that he jumps that good, so he doesn't need too much schooling, so we just keep him fit and get him looking forward to it.
"If he jumps clean, he'll be there somewhere at the end I would think."
