Cox Plate runner-up Happy Trails will resume on Saturday week after pleasing trainer Paul Beshara in a barrier trial on Friday.

Happy Trails won the Group One Turnbull Stakes for Beshara before the Adelaide trainer had to relinquish training the horse to serve a six-month disqualification before the Cox Plate.

The seven-year-old competed in the Cox Plate under Byron Cozamanis' name before returning to Beshara's stable for his latest spring campaign.

The seven-year-old worked between races at Morphettville last Saturday before stepping out in a 1000-metre barrier trial on Friday morning.

Smart sprinter Iconic led Happy Trails home in the hit-out but Beshara said his charge thrilled him with his effort on a heavy track.

"The effort was terrific because he doesn't like the heavy tracks," Beshara said.

"He never got out of second gear. (Jockey) Troy (Baker) never let go of his head.

"I asked Troy to sit him in behind the leaders and let him slide home without going for him and that's exactly what he did."

Beshara will start Happy Trails' spring campaign in the Group Three Spring Stakes (1200m) next Saturday at Morphettville before the top performer travels to Melbourne to run in the Group One Memsie Stakes (1400m) on August 30.

Happy Trails will take the same path as he did to last year's Cox Plate with the Group One Underwood Stakes and Turnbull Stakes to complete his lead-up to Australasia's weight-for-age championship.

Baker will ride Happy Trails in the Spring Stakes but Dwayne Dunn, who partnered Happy Trails at his last three starts, has the first refusal of the ride in Melbourne.

Beshara said Damien Oliver and Craig Williams were in the running to ride Happy Trails should Dunn surprise him by knocking back the mount.