On cold, wet winter mornings before dawn, Cannyescent is the "one-in-a-billion" horse that makes Gabrielle Englebrecht get out of bed.

And it's not just his talent and scope to win a stakes race that has his trainer smitten.

"I wish I could describe how much I love him," Englebrecht said.

"He's just the sweetest, most kind and gentle animal you've ever seen."

Englebrecht's stable star - and social media star, featuring heavily on his trainer's Snapchat - is set to resume his career at Canterbury on Saturday in a 1250m benchmark race.

"He's a one-in-a-billion horse," Englebrecht said.

"On these cold, rainy, wet mornings where it's freezing and you're getting drenched he makes it a lot easier to get out of bed."

Cannyescent has had two recent trials and his latest effort was impressive.

Englebrecht said he wore a cross-over noseband for the first time in that trial and initially had her worried.

"He really responded to it extremely well - a little bit too well," she said.

"He dropped the bit and he was back last off the bridle early."

He won, showing the turn of foot which underpins his potential and a reason to stick with the gear change throughout the preparation.

Englebrecht is convinced Cannyescent is a Group horse, but wants to see him prove it in two to three benchmark races which will kick off his campaign.

She said race-fit horses who have been performing well at Saturday grade are the only things standing in the way of Cannyescent taking his record to three wins from six starts on Saturday.

"I expect him to win," Englebrecht said.

"I think he's capable of winning but I don't want to discount how talented some of the other runners in the race are."

Englebrecht is wary not to get too far ahead with plans for her pride and joy, but is gearing up for a long preparation through spring.

"He's mature now and he's seasoned," she said.

"There's plenty of races for him across the spring if he shows he's up to it."