Racing: Former dual Derby winner begins Victorian raid early

Rebel Raider started his Cup campaign in brilliant fashion on Saturday. Photo / Getty Images

Rebel Raider's breathtaking return to racing has prompted a change of plans in his Melbourne Cup build-up and he will run next in the Makybe Diva Stakes.

Adelaide trainer Leon Macdonald originally had the Penny Edition Stakes (1400m) at Morphettville on August 28 pencilled in for the dual Derby winner's first start for the season.

The horse was doing so well he brought his race return forward to Saturday's Spring Stakes and Rebel Raider put in a dashing performance to win the 1200m sprint.

"He's pulled up a treat and will go to Melbourne for the Makybe Diva early next month," Macdonald said.

"That probably fits in better than the Penny Edition because it will then give him two weeks between races going towards the Cups and the Cox Plate.

"I don't want to get carried away with what he did because he will be going up a class in Melbourne but I think he's going better than ever and his action looks so much better."

The group two Makybe Diva Stakes over 1600m is at Flemington on September 4.

It will be Rebel Raider's first trip to Flemington since his upset win in the 2008 Victoria Derby.

He failed in a subsequent Sydney campaign but back home racing in his preferred left-handed direction, scored a devastating win in the South Australian Derby.

That propelled him into early favouritism for last year's Melbourne Cup but that dream was shattered in early September when he pulled up sore from trackwork.

He subsequently underwent successful surgery on a hind fetlock and had two starts in the autumn. Last week, bookmakers reported heavy interest in Rebel Raider for the Melbourne Cup and he was as short as $18 on Monday.

With Rebel Raider to miss the Penny Edition, stablemate Majestic Music will represent the stable in the race before she, too, heads to Melbourne where she won two races last spring.

- AAP