Trainer Matthew Craven is plotting a return to the races with former top pacer Shadow Sax, who has recently joined his Ecklin South stable.

Previously trained by Emma Stewart, and before that Peter Tonkin, the injury-plagued son of Shadow Play has not raced since September 2020 at Bendigo.

That race was his first run since October the year prior.

Craven trialed Shadow Sax on Tuesday night at Terang and was forced to pull him up the first time around due to a flat tyre. He was then placed in a later trial, which he won by 7m.

“Obviously, he has had a few issues along the way. We have just been poking along quietly with him and taking him to the beach and things like that,” Craven said.

“He’s not far away. He will probably just have another trial, maybe even next week, and then we will look to start him somewhere.”

A first-up start in the Charlton Pacing Cup on March 14 looms as a likely target for the horse, who is owned by Pam and Russell Hockham and the Stable of Stars syndicate.

Shadow Sax has won 23 of 42 career starts, including the 2015 Vicbred Super Series 2YO Colts and Geldings Final and the 2018 SA Pacing Cup.