Nigel Blackiston knows he is asking a lot of Desert Wizard but he sees the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes as an ideal opportunity to gauge the horse's potential.

Desert Wizard is unbeaten in three starts but takes a quantum leap in the 1600m weight-for-age race at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

"What he has done, he has done very comfortably and this will give us a guide on how well he can match it with the better horses," Blackiston said.

"I hold the horse in very high regard and believe he will measure up to the top echelon but we might have to wait until next spring.

"It's a stepping stone to give us some idea what level he can reach this spring."

Blackiston tried the same tactics last week with Let's Make Adeal in the Group One Makybe Diva at Flemington with the mare, nominated for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, running a creditable fourth.

He bought Desert Wizard in New Zealand where he was a late December foal so they left him there for 12 months to give him time to mature.

"We've been very patient with him and we hope we can keep racing him for four or five more years," Blackiston said.

Desert Wizard, who is nominated for the Epsom Handicap, is a $10 chance behind joint favourites Super Cool and Fiorente at $3.20.