Star galloper Shoot Out won multiple Group 1s for the Huddys, but won the Randwick Guineas in 2010 – the race Preferment is on track to contest in two weeks’ time.

Victoria Derby winner Preferment returns to the racetrack in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.

Preferment starts his campaign in the 1400m feature, but will head to his main aim, the ATC Australian Derby where he is a $5 favourite – via the Randwick Guineas.

Preferment has had two barrier trials ahead of a campaign aimed at enhancing his Group One record.

Trainer Chris Waller conceded Preferment would likely need the run on Saturday.

‘‘Preferment is still a bit soft,’’ Waller said.

There was some consideration to skipping Saturday’s race and aiming him at one of the traditional derby lead-up races without a first-up effort.

‘‘If I’m confident he is fit for the mile he would go straight to the Randwick Guineas,” Waller said.

One of Preferment’s rivals on Saturday, Golden Rose winner Hallowed Crown, showed he was anything but soft with a strong raceday gallop under Hugh Bowman at Randwick on Saturday.

‘‘He has only had one trial so he needed a good work-out,’’ co-trainer James Cummings said.

‘‘We are very happy with him and the Hobartville is a good foundation for the Randwick Guineas two weeks later.’’

Hallowed Crown ran a close third in a barrier trial on February 2 behind Caulfield Guineas winner Shooting To Win.

Blake Shinn will ride Shooting To Win on a stay of proceedings pending his appeal against suspension.

James McDonald rode the colt to his Group One win but with his commitment to Godolphin, trainers Peter and Paul Snowden looked for another jockey who could stay with him during his campaign.

The Paul Messara-trained Scissor Kick, second in the Golden Rose and a first-up winner of the Eskimo Prince, will also be in the Hobartville mix.

The race is the lead-up to the Group One Randwick Guineas (1600m) which this year is on the same day as the Australian Guineas at Flemington over the same distance.