Early favourite for Saturday’s feature race at Moonee Valley Racecourse, the Darren Weir-trained Japanese import Tosen Stardom has been passed fit by stewards to run first-up after an obligatory gallop on Thursday morning.

Racing Victoria’s chief steward Terry Bailey ordered Deep Impact stallion Tosen Stardom to gallop over 1000m at Warrnambool on Thursday morning before being cleared to run in the $250,000 Group 2 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) on the weekend.

The six-year-old suffered a bleeding attack in Sydney whilst in quarantine earlier this year when still prepared by Japanese horseman Yasutoshi Ikee.

Put through his paces this morning in a searching gallop, the early Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes favourite did enough to show stewards he was fit enough to return to racing Weir confirmed on Sky Sports Radio.

Originally Weir, who has taken over training of the Group 1 performer, was told the horse would not be allowed to run on Saturday as he had failed to pass the required checks.

After meeting with Bailey at Sandown on Wednesday, the pair came to the agreement Tosen Stardom could prove his fitness with the Thursday morning hit-out.

“I have to say that Mr Bailey has been very good in his handling of all of this,” Weir said yesterday.

“Initially we thought we weren’t going to be able to race but common sense has prevailed.

“It is a great outcome, he has to have a gallop over 1000m in front of the stewards.

“We were going to do a bit with him anyway so he will have to do a bit more, it won’t worry him, he is a big strong horse, it might do him the world of good.”

Baily admitted the whole process wasn’t ideal for Tosen Stardom and that the issue should have been detected sooner by Racing Victoria.

“Unfortunately, the horse had gone around in jumpouts, but they hadn’t been brought to the attention of stewards,” Baily said.

“So, that process is going to take place tomorrow at Warrnambool for the horse to be able to run on Saturday.

“It’s something that should’ve been picked up sooner.

“Our processes are at acceptance time, because it’s unrealistic to try and do it off the back of nominations.”

Drawn in barrier five in a capacity 14-starter field for the Dato’, Tosen Stardom has John Allen riding and currently pays $5.50 through Ladbrokes.com.au.

It will be the horse’s first run since an unplaced effort in the Group 3 Shimbun Hai (1600m) at Tokyo back in early February.

Tosen Stardom is yet to race in Melbourne but has twice run down under during last year’s Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.

On debut in Australia he finished second to Contributer in Rosehill’s Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) before a fifth to Criterion in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) in April of 2015.

He has one just one race since appearing in Sydney, but the bookies are taking no chances on Saturday with the 2016 Cox Plate hope.

Check out the full Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes markets online now at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost (T&Cs apply).