Michael Lill believed Casual Glance was ready to fire but the Greta trainer was concerned about the start of his Southern Stars heat at Goulburn on Friday.
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Casual Glance will begin from box five in heat three (440m), chasing a victory to qualify for next Friday night's $50,000-to-the-winner final.
It will be a fourth run back for Casual Glance from a pin muscle injury that cost him a Million Dollar Chase semi-final start in late April.
Casual Glance, a winner 29 times in 54 starts, was last in his return race at Grafton (350m) on June 19 after missing the jump. He was last again when taken out at Goulburn over 440m five days later before winning over the trip there last week.
Lill, who trains with his wife Michelle, said Casual Glance was spot on but faced an "exceptional heat".
"I'm really happy with him, just the draw won't help, with Bandit Ned out where he wants it in eight and Father Rick in two," Lill said.
"Father Rick wants the outside fence and he could knock half the field over.
"If mine gets his manner right, and fourth-up, you'd think he will be right on the money with his start. If he gets it right and finds the lure early, he will run 24.50. You just don't want Bandit Ned or Zipping Kyrgios on your tail."
Lill hoped Casual Glance, at $11 with TAB, could prove the market wrong again.
"Second-up, he was going to win but then Majestic Legend ran him off the track and fought him," he said. "I couldn't believe the price [$5.50] third-up when we took him back down there."
Also Friday, The Gardens have a 12-race program from 2:57pm.