Next month’s Bunbury Stakes (1400m) is the primary target for Oly’s Choice, but co-trainer Ben Pearce hasn’t ruled out the son of Demerit winning first-up at Ascot on Saturday. After overcoming a few setbacks, Pearce and his brother Dan are relieved to have Oly’s Choice back at the races, launching his return in the Listed Bisley Workwear-Cyril Flower Stakes (1200m).

Oly’s Choice showed promise earlier this year, progressing through the grades and finishing his campaign with four consecutive wins. However, since his seventh-place finish in the Crawford Stakes (1000m) when resuming in October, it hasn’t been smooth sailing. A leg injury dashed his Ascot carnival aspirations, and he was scratched from the Asian Beau Stakes (1400m) after becoming fractious behind the barriers.

In a small field of six for the Cyril Flower Stakes, Oly’s Choice is the $12 outsider with gambling companies, while Scenic Blast winner Twain’s Angel and runner-up Man Crush lead the market. “I think he can run a forward race first up,” Ben Pearce said. “I think his price is because it took him so long to find his form last prep. I guess that has to be a question, but I thought his first-up run in the Crawford was good. Then the next start (Asian Beau), he got kicked in the barriers and split his leg open. It took quite a long time to come good, and he needed a fair amount of stitches. But I liked his first-up run and thought it was good.”

“The Bunbury Stakes is his main aim; the owner is from there, and it would be great to win it. But I think he’s forward enough to win first up. There will be speed in the race, and hopefully, he’s strong at the end.”

Oly’s Choice’s comeback preparation included two contrasting trials. In the first at Lark Hill, he finished last, but he showed more zest at Pinjarra, winning by six lengths. “The trial was good,” Pearce said. “He didn’t have much to beat, but he couldn’t have done much more. Clint (Johnston-Porter) was really positive and said he ran through the line strong.”

From barrier six, Steven Parnham will take the reins on Oly’s Choice.