Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh is looking forward to Melbourne Cup day, but it won’t be Flemington that has his full attention.

His focus will instead be on Ellerslie where his Group One winner Ruud Awakening will return to the scene of her greatest triumphs.

Ruud Awakening won the country’s richest race, the Listed Karaka Million, during an outstanding domestic two-year-old season, which also resulted in a victory in the Gr.1 Diamond Stakes.

The daughter of Bernardini then went to Australia for the Gr.1 Golden Slipper Stakes, but she was never a factor at Rosehill from a wide gate.

Ruud Awakening weighed in three times during a subsequent four-start campaign in Melbourne last spring and following a spell she was again turned out after finishing third in the Gr.3 Mr Tiz Trophy at Te Rapa in the autumn.

“Mark Du Plessis rode her and he felt she could have won that on firmer ground – she just can’t bounce off those tracks that have some cut in them,” Marsh said.

“She’s going great again and those niggling foot problems she had last time in look to be behind her.

“She had a fortnight on the water walker and now she’s in full work and she is looking in terrific order.”

Ruud Awakening will resume in a Rating 85 sprint at Ellerslie on November 4 and will have two further outings to have her at peak for another Group One goal.

“The Railway is her main target and the set weights and penalties will suit her as her Group One win is out of the 18-month period so she’ll get into it nicely,” Marsh said.

He also has the Ellerslie feature on the programme of Ruud Awakening’s stablemate Barbaric, whose six career wins includes the Listed Levin Stakes.

The Pins gelding will resume in the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint at Te Rapa on November 8.