Peter Snowden believes Xidaki has rediscovered his spark after an out-of-character autumn and winter campaign left the trainer puzzled.
A Group 3 Winx Guineas winner, Xidaki progressed to place in last year’s Silver Eagle and Festival Stakes before a solid midfield effort in The Ingham.
But he failed to fire last prep, prompting Snowden to cut the campaign short.
“Last prep wasn’t him at all… I only gave him a few runs and stopped,” he said. “I brought him back in… that was much more like him.”
Xidaki resumed with a strong third on The Hunter undercard, tightening late when finishing behind Brave One.
He now steps to 1500m in Saturday’s Festival Stakes at Rosehill, and from barrier four Snowden expects a bold showing.
“He hit the line very strongly… he’s got a great barrier, no weight and a good rider. He will be competitive.”
Stablemate Touristic also resumes, while last year’s runner-up Robusto headlines the 20-strong field.