Weather watch for Invincible Caviar

The daughter of unbeaten champion is down to have her first start since December in the Listed Bel Esprit Stakes (1000m) on Saturday.

But track conditions will determine whether the winner of four of her six starts lines up on Saturday.

The Sandown track was rated a Soft 5 at acceptance time on Wednesday but following 6.2mm of rain on Thursday, taking it to 13.2mm for the week, the track was rated a Soft 6 on Friday morning.

The weather forecast is looking fine through until after Saturday's meeting.

Moody's assistant trainer Katherine Coleman said if the track remained a Soft 6 then Invincible Caviar was likely to take her place in the Bel Esprit Stakes.

"The only thing with her, as we've always said, we don't want a track that is too rain-affected with her," Coleman told RSN.

"We'll be on weather watch with her over the next 24 hours and see how it comes up in the morning.

"It's a Soft 6 today and we wouldn't want it any worse than that, otherwise she will probably be staying at home."

Invincible Caviar has not raced since a last start win at Flemington in controversial circumstances.

After dead-heating with My Yankee Girl, the race was awarded to Invincible Caviar after a protest by Racing Victoria stewards over the number of whip strikes by Blake Shinn on the runner-up.

Invincible Caviar has had two jump-outs to prepare for Saturday's return, winning her most recent on the Pakenham synthetic on May 9.

"She's come back in fantastic order. She's bigger and stronger again," Coleman said.

Invincible Caviar was the $4 second favourite behind the Grahame Begg-trained Katsu who has firmed from $2.10 into $1.85 following the rain on Thursday.