Blundell will be represented by Thistledo in Saturday's SDRA Country Championships Qualifier (1400m) at Albury.

The seven-year-old has won three of his eight starts since joining Blundell's stable after previously having stints with Bjorn Baker and Luke Hilton.

Blundell will head to Albury on Saturday quietly confident.

"He's going good, I'm really happy with him," Blundell said.

"He'd had 75 weeks off so after being out so long his first prep back in was just about getting him toned up again.

"I'm really happy with him now. I think he will be hard to beat if he gets a draw and gets the right run."

Thistledo won two races at Goulburn and one at Gundagai last preparation, all over 1200m.

He resumed with a nice trial at Wagga when second behind Real Key on January 21. He then went to Goulburn for its Country Championships Preview and ran sixth, beaten 1.45 lengths, behind Your Witness.

"He buggered up a bit when he jumped in the trial but got home good," Blundell said.

"At Goulburn first-up, Kayla said she got going a bit too wide on the turn. She wanted to get him into daylight but it was a bit too early. So he came wide and had to carry too much weight but got home good.

"He's had one start for fitness and now is on top of his game."

With Kayla Nisbet being booked to ride Maid In Milan, Nick Souquet will take the ride on Thistledo.

Souquet won the 2017 edition on Lautaro and returned from injury last weekend at Tumut after being out since November with a fractured wrist.

Thistledo is owned by Sydney-based syndicate The Eightball, headed by Ben Doyle.

Blundell's talented stayer, Itsa Fait Accompli, will also make his return from a spell at Albury on Saturday.

A three-time city winner, Itsa Fait Accompli will resume in the Benchmark 66 Handicap (1600m), where he has been given 62.5 kilograms.

READ MORE