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Former Sydney-trained sprinter Pampelonne will stay in Victoria for Friday’s $100,000 Golden Topaz at Swan Hill in preference to a return to Randwick on Saturday.

The five-year-old sprinter, formerly trained at Rosehill by Tim Martin but now with Flemington trainer Troy Corstens, had also been entered for Saturday’s $100,000 June Stakes (1100m) at Randwick.

However Corstens feels the Swan Hill race offers a better opportunity for Pampelonne to regain the classy from he produced as a three-year-old and register the first win under his care.

Pampelonne won five of his first eights start for Martin including the Gosford and Scone Guineas and the G2 Shorts at Randwick in 2012.

Now a five-year-old, he has filled just one placing in nine starts since he won the Shorts but his latest effort at Flemington indicated that he may have overcome soundness issues that affected his form.

Having only his second start for Corstens, Pampelonne was beaten less than a length when fourth behind Lonhspresso in the Listed Straight Six (1200m) at Flemington.

“He’s definitely come on and I’m really happy with him,” Corstens told Racing Victoria.

“He takes a bit of racing to get him match fit and he probably exceeded my expectations in that last run down the straight.

“The issues that we were having with him early on are not there anymore.

“He’s goes to Altona Beach twice a week and he does a lot of work on the treadmill which I think is part of the key to keeping him sound.

“So far it seems to be going really well.”

The June Stakes has drawn an interesting field of 12 including G1 winner Mic Mac, the in-form mare Avoid Lightning, Wagga Town Plate winner Unanimously, Ortensia Stakes winner Testarhythm and the former Paul Perry-trained sprinter Hidden Warrior, now with Gordon Yorke at Coffs Harbour.