(Andrew Bensley is a leading commentator with Sky Sports Radio and Sky Racing Channel.)

One of the most common questions I get asked through Sky Sports Radio and Sky Racing is "when will Weekend Hussler race again?" Despite the fact that he's only graced the racetrack once in 19 months, the Hussler clearly still has a very strong following.

Weekend Hussler's trainer Ross McDonald told me during the week, the six-year-old is enjoying his work down at Mornington, where he's mixing his trackwork with constant water walking.

McDonald remains coy about when Weekend Hussler (pictured above, winning the 2007 AAMI Victoria Derby) will race again but after I persisted to probe, he admitted he's probably a month away from racing. McDonald said Weekend Hussler is galloping strongly on the Mornington course proper and there has been no recurrence of old injuries.

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In a week when the weights were released for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, there's a great deal of interest in the France-trained Americain.

The six-year-old defeated another Cup aspirant, Manighar, a fortnight ago at Deuxville and Australian part-owners, Gerry Ryan and Peter Maher, have been in France this week getting the latest word from trainer Alain De Royer-Dupre.

Gerry Ryan told me on Sky Sports Radio that Americain will head to Newmarket in England in a fortnight before jetting to Melbourne. At this stage, Americain is destined to run in the Geelong Cup, a race that is becoming a regular stepping stone for international horses. Americain is $26 in TAB Fixed Odds betting for the Melbourne Cup.

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Now to Saturday's action and trainer Lee Freedman will step out a number of his spring carnival contenders at Flemington. While Wealth Princess stays home after a slight cold this week, Freedman's stayers will be very much to the fore.

The leading trainer has high expectations of Fanjura, saying the horse has trained on beautifully since his two wins earlier this year. Freedman says you can ride Fanjura forward or back and he is capable of producing a powerful finish.

Speed Gifted is another resuming in the Makybe Diva Stakes. Freedman is confident we'll see the real Speed Gifted this campaign, after he struggled in the autumn. The prospect of Speed Gifted resuming on a rain-affected track on Saturday is also perfect.

The other Freedman runner worthy of mention is promising three-year-old, Smokin Joey, in the Danehill Stakes. The horse's four runs all have been in black type races and his work on Wednesday suggest he'll be going close on Saturday.

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There's an interesting runner at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Captain Sonador visited Sydney from his Queensland base at Oakey on the Darling Downs during the autumn and finished third in both the Hobartville Stakes and Randwick Guineas.

Trainer Roger Milne says Captain Sonador will return to Sydney for the Epsom Handicap (TAB Fixed Odds has him at $35 in its All In market) but first he resumes in a 1200-metre sprint race on Saturday. Milne said he'd be very disappointed if Captain Sonador doesn't pull out a very good run first up.

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And finally, the Kiwi training partnership of Murray and Bjorn Baker is back in Sydney and Melbourne this weekend.

Bjorn says both Lion Tamer and Harris Tweed will probably need the run but watch out when they step out in longer races. Lion Tamer, in particular, shows the capabilities of a stayer in the making and could prove an ideal Victoria Derby horse.

The horse's last start a fortnight ago, was marred by a race fall, so don't worry about the big fat zero beside his name.