Co-trainer Michael Hawkes has been thrilled with the form and class displayed by Our Boy Malachi this time and is confident the talented sprinter is ready to step up to a maiden Group 1 triumph in Saturday’s 2016 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Royal Randwick.

Our Boy Malachi has been a strong and consistent performer throughout his entire career since debuting in 2011; posting an impressive eight wins and two minors through twenty-two competitive appearances.

Having missed the entire Spring Carnival after suffering a bleeding attack during the running of the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1350m) in May, the Top Echelon gelding resumed this time for an impressive and comfortable win in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) on January 30^th.

Hawkes was pleased with the effort produced by the seven-year-old in a 900m trial at Rosehill earlier this week and is confident he is ready to overcome the talented 2016 Canterbury Stakes field on Saturday.

“The Canterbury Stakes fitted in well, especially with a nice easy trial which he had on Monday,” Hawkes told AAP.

“We decided to keep him in Sydney for the autumn. He’s never been to Melbourne before and to take on Chautauqua was probably a little bit too much for him at this point in time.”

Team Hawkes are spoiled for choice with top-line sprinters this season, and Michael Hawkes revealed Our Boy Malachi may meet Chautauqua in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Day 1 of The Championships in April.

“They are going to meet eventually and they have always been on a path to meet in the TJ,” Hawkes said.

“It’s a great position to be in and we’ve just been trying to split them up and hopefully it’s Malachi’s day on Saturday.

“The stable confidence is good. Always has been. We can’t fault him.”

Our Boy Malachi debuted to Team Hawkes during the 2014/15 summer and immediately made an impression in taken out each of the Listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) and Listed Razor Sharp Handicap (1200m).

Resuming in late autumn for success in the Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m), Our Boy Malachi progressed to third in the Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m) in his only other start prior to the Doomben 10,000.

Ladbrokes.com.au are currently offering the best 2016 Canterbury Stakes odds, for which Our Boy Malachi can be taken at a quote of $3.40 for success.