An upset winner of the Group Two Chelmsford Stakes in the spring, Navajo Peak is on a mission to prove it was no fluke, starting in the Apollo Stakes at Randwick.
The David Payne-trained gelding is among a final field of 10 for Saturday's 1400-metre feature, the race attracting a high-class line up headed by Think It Over, Fangirl, Cascadian and multiple Group 1-winning three-year-old Militarize .
Navajo Peak had an inconsistent spring on paper, finishing just over five lengths from Fangirl first-up in the Winx Stakes (1400m) before bobbing up to claim some significant scalps in the Chelmsford Stakes, including that of Saturday's rival Think It Over.
He failed to make an impression from wide draws at his next two starts in the Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) and Metropolitan (2400m), but Payne said Navajo Peak simply didn't stay.
"His best distance is 1600 metres. We stretched him out just to test him, and I've realised now we keep him around the 1600-metre mark," Payne said.
"His main aim is the Doncaster (Mile), he should come into that with a fairly light weight."
Navajo Peak has trialled twice in preparation for his return, the latest when third in a 1000m Rosehill heat, and while he usually improves deeper into his campaign, Payne says he is forward enough to hold his own on Saturday.
"He has come back well and his last trial, we just wanted him to have a bit of fun, we didn't press him," Payne said.
"He's forward enough, I think he will be in the money."
Jason Collett rode Navajo Peak to a Hawkesbury victory at his first start for Payne in July 2022 and will reunite with the gelding for the first time since then in the Apollo Stakes (1400m).