Chris Waller isn't heading into Saturday's Expressway Stakes expecting veterans Danleigh and Albert The Fat to come away with the top prize.

But he won't be surprised if either of them do.

The pair will resume in the Group Two Warwick Farm sprint, which also marks the stable debut of former New Zealand colt Tougher Than Ever.

The three-year-old is the wildcard runner while Albert The Fat and Danleigh have already proven their wares.

To Waller, that counts for a lot.

"With Albert The Fat and Danleigh, you are talking about Group One horses. Some of the horses in that race will never get to that level," Waller said.

"They are capable of anything when you least expect it."

Albert The Fat is on the comeback trail from a suspensory injury which has kept him sidelined since last autumn.

Danleigh will use the Expressway Stakes (1200m) as his autumn kick-off for the fourth successive year.

Waller says the gelding appears to have returned as well as ever despite his vintage.

"He's an amazing horse," Waller said.

"He's a nine-year-old and he still looks great. He's still got plenty of life in those legs the way he bounces on and off the track every morning.

"I would say his second and third runs will probably be his best."

Tougher Than Ever is the interesting runner in the 10-horse field.

A Group One winner at two, he was placed at the top level in New Zealand as a spring three-year-old and the Expressway will be his first Australian start.

"With those horses who come over to Australia, it's never easy but if they acclimatise and adapt it opens them up to a new ball game," Waller said.

"He's a Group One winner in New Zealand and he's still a colt so if he can also do it here it will put him on the radar of a few studs."

Tougher Than Ever holds nominations for the Australian Guineas at Flemington on March 2 and Doncaster Mile at Randwick on April 20.

Waller did consider saving him for the Royal Sovereign Stakes against his own age on Saturday week but the timing of the Expressway gave them the option of heading to Melbourne.

Tougher Than Ever is at $6 in TAB fixed odds markets for the Expressway with Albert The Fat $8 and Danleigh $11.

Another three-year-old, Happy Galaxy, is the $2.80 favourite.