Naval College is on trial to join his stablemates in the Queensland Winter Carnival, with his next test set for Saturday’s $300,000 Gosford Gold Cup (2100m).

Trained by Annabel and Rob Archibald, the six-year-old is coming off a fourth-place finish in the Group 3 JRA Plate (2000m) at Randwick on April 19. Annabel Archibald believes the Gosford race, with an extra 100 metres and a suitable track, is a good opportunity for Naval College to press his claims for the carnival.

“He’ll strip fitter and up another 100 metres on a tight, leaderish track suits him as well,” Archibald said. “We’ll see how he goes, but he’s another horse who could make his way up here.”

Stablemates Fawkner Park and Bois D’Argent will contest the $500,000 Group 2 Hollindale Cup (1800m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Naval College struggled in last year’s Queensland Winter Carnival due to wet tracks, with Archibald confirming they’ll avoid those conditions this time around.

“The Gosford track is expected to improve,” Archibald said. “He doesn’t want wet ground, we probably learnt that the hard way in the Hollindale last year.”

Naval College will carry 57kg in the Gosford Gold Cup, with Klondike the topweight at 59kg.