Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Chris Munce has been charged with the task of guiding the in-form Kiwi stayer Deane Martin to a Group One victory this weekend.

The Queensland-based rider will replace the suspended Brenton Avdulla on the Bruce Wallace-trained runner in the $A400,000 The Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) at Randwick.

Avdulla successfully combined with Deane Martin in the Gr.3 Colin Stephen Quality at Rosehill last Saturday, but he subsequently copped an eight-meeting ban for careless riding in the Gr.1 Sir Rupert Clarke at Caulfield the following day.

“It was a little bit disappointing as we’d built a good association with him and he’s done a great job for us,” stable representative Allan Peard said.

“A lot of the Sydney boys had rides so we got Chris and we won’t lose anything there.”

Peard saddled Deane Martin for his last-start success and said the Keeper five-year-old had come through the race in superb order.

“I stayed on Saturday night and he looked amazing on Sunday morning.”

A trip to Melbourne now beckons Deane Martin, who is raced by a syndicate that includes former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull, if he races up to expectations at Randwick. He is currently 63rd with 51kg in the order of entry for next month’s Gr.1 $A6 million Melbourne Cup (3200m).

Meanwhile, stablemate Fast Dragon is likely to make his first appearance for the season on Saturday week.

“We’ve struggled to find the right race for him with the way the tracks have been,” Peard said. “At this stage he might run in the Matamata Cup, or a lesser race.

“He’s still a stallion so it’s all about enhancing his future breeding career.”

The son of Fastnet Rock won the Listed Champagne Stakes as a two-year-old and was a multiple black type placegetter last season. He hasn’t raced since he finished sixth in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby.