‘Aussie’ Tom Marquand is set to fly into Australia later this week to link with Dubai Honour in the Tancred Stakes at Rosehill.

When Dubai Honour is showing cheek on the training track, it generally translates to an outstanding race day performance, and Isabella Paul is seeing all the right signs ahead of the UK raider's Tancred Stakes assignment.

This year marks the eight-year-old's third autumn carnival in Sydney and Paul, who has travelled with the William Haggas-trained Dubai Honour each time, is satisfied the horse is as good as ever.

His most recent form reflects that, with a Group 1 placing behind Goliath in Germany in September, a Listed win in England two months later, and a second placing in the UK last time out in December when he shouldered 64kg.

"I'm really happy with where he is. He is being a bit of a pain on the track, and that generally means he is in pretty good order," Paul said.

"He's in great form. He actually came down here a little bit heavy, and he has tightened up nicely in the last week or so.

"They did a good bit of work last week, and they will have a little stretch tomorrow (Wednesday)."

Dubai Honour and stablemate Caviar Heights both galloped at Canterbury on Tuesday morning, rounding out the completion of their official quarantine period.

Dubai Honour will be chasing back-to-back wins in the Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) on Saturday after defeating Duke De Sessa and Vauban in the corresponding race 12 months ago, while Caviar Heights makes his Australian debut in the Group 3 Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m).

Paul confirmed jockey Tom Marquand, who has partnered Dubai Honour in three of his four Australian starts, is due to land in Sydney on Thursday but won't have a sit on either Haggas-trained galloper before race day.

"Probably not, to be honest," Paul said.

"He came and had a sit on Caviar Heights when we were in quarantine in the UK. They galloped together, and he rode Caviar and was very happy with him that day.

"Obviously, he knows Dubai Honour inside out, so we will leave Tom to recover from his flight, and we'll see him on Saturday."

Dubai Honour has an outstanding record in Sydney, his only defeat in four starts coming at the hands of Via Sistina in last year's Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).

All being well, he will head to The Championships race again after Rosehill, while Caviar Heights is also expected progress to the Queen Elizabeth, although he does hold an entry for the Sydney Cup (3200m).

Aeliana has been nominated for the Tancred Stakes with trainer Chris Waller expected to decide later on Tuesday whether she backs up from her Ranvet Stakes (2000m) triumph at Rosehill last weekend.

Photo: Bradley Photo