Weatherly is yet to appear on course competitively but trainer Paul Messara has been thrilled with the form and class displayed by the two-year-old in the lead-up to his debut and is confident he can figure in Tuesday’s Listed Blue Diamond Preview C&G (1000m) at Caulfield.

Weatherly is by the formerly Messara-trained Beneteau, who sired only a couple of seasons of yearlings before succumbing to a severe neurological condition partway through 2015.

Messara told Racing Victoria the 2016 Blue Diamond Preview is undoubtedly a big test for Weatherly on debut but is confident the horse will be more than up to the class if he can transpose the form displayed in work to competition.

“He’s still quite a raw horse that has a lot of learning to do but it has all come together very quickly for him,’ Messara said.

“He’s a beautiful horse, a big and strong type of two-year-old that’s a bit like his father Beneteau in that he’s very forward at the same age.

“We’re probably throwing him in the deep end, we could give him an easy kill in a maiden somewhere but the timing’s right, he’s drawn well and we’ll give him his chance.

“We can always pay the ($55,000 Blue Diamond late entry fee) if we need to and he looks like a real contender. If ran well on Tuesday then we’d head to the Prelude and make a decision after that.”

Weatherly has been allocated the ideal barrier 1 for the 2016 Blue Diamond Preview and is sure to be given a gem of a ride by leading hoop Craig Williams.

“He’s got good natural speed. He’s not a horse that I think will naturally drift back and fly home, I’d expect him to settle in a handy position,” Messara said.

“I think it’s a benefit from barrier one to have the rail on his inside, I always think it’s good to have a rail to follow with two-year-olds and is worth a length or two particularly in a race like this with a lot of horses having their first start.”

Weatherly is currently available at $4 Blue Diamond Preview odds with Ladbrokes.com.au, having cut in from an opening quote of $4.60.