Last year he took his handy gelding Slate On Edge south for the Subzero Series and finished with a second placing at Caulfield and a win on Cox Plate eve at Moonee Valley.

Those efforts, combined with a victory in metropolitan company in Brisbane, lifted the 'Gulgong Grey' to cult status and he will be out to repeat the dose when he lines up in the first heat of the series at Caulfield today.

Thompson travelled Slate On Edge to Victoria on Saturday, just a day before he claimed the Coonamble Cup with Dark Mojo, and he admits he is happy heading into today's event.

"The horse is used to travelling now but he handled the trip well. We're staying at Pat Carey's place down on the Mornington Peninsula this time and it's only an hour from Melbourne so that's good," Thompson said.

"We popped him off the float a few times to stretch his legs but he is ready to go on Wednesday and I just hope he can go as well as he did last year."

Leading Melbourne rider Dwayne Dunn struck up a terrific combination with the Zariz x Freebe gelding last year, and the combination will be reunited on Tuesday.

Just eight other runners will line up in the Caulfield race, with Slate On Edge to start from barrier two and lumping 60kg.

He tuned up for his trip south with a gutsy all-the-way win over 1400m at Wellington on September 27.

"That run topped him off pretty nicely," Thompson said.

"He had a big weight that day and took on and beat some decent horses so that gave us the confidence to think we could bring him back down here and he would go well.

"Dwayne is back on and he knows the horse after riding him last year. Now it's just a matter of turning up at Caulfield and hoping he runs well.

"I think he'll probably be better suited in the Moonee Valley race again but the money is so good we wanted him ready for the first heat and if we can that it will be a bonus."