Trainer Douglas Whyte will bypass next weekend’s Group One QE II Cup (2,000m) with his stable star Russian Emperor and instead keep his seven-year-old fresh for a tilt at the Group Three Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2,400m) on May 5.

Russian Emperor failed to land a blow a fortnight ago in the Group Two Chairman’s Trophy (1,600m) and Whyte believes the Group Three contest can provide a perfect stepping stone to his Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) defence at the end of next month.

“My plan is to go to the Queen Mother,” Whyte said. “Hughie Bowman will be on board and the Champions & Chater is the plan after that.”

The son of Galileo is yet to get his head in front from five starts this term, but Whyte is confident he has the three-time Group One winner in tip-top shape ahead of his next assignment.

“He’s flying,” Whyte said. “He galloped [on Tuesday] morning on the turf and he feels great.”

Russian Emperor failed to fire on seasonal reappearance in the Group Two Sha Tin Trophy (1,600m) before he finished eighth and seventh, respectively, in November’s Group Two Jockey Club Cup (2,000m) and January’s Group One Stewards’ Cup (1,600m).

While he was unable to retain his H.H. The Amir Trophy (2,400m) crown in Doha on his following start in February, Russian Emperor was by no means disgraced, running on into fifth against a strong international field.

Whyte’s stable star boasts an impressive record over the 2,400m trip and the 52-year-old handler hopes he can take out the HK$4.2 million Queen Mother Memorial Cup – which he finished sixth in last term – before bidding for a hat-trick of Champions & Chater triumphs.

The absence of Russian Emperor means Whyte will not have a representative in any of the marquee races on next weekend’s programme, but he will be hoping to return to the winner’s enclosure when he saddles four runners at Sha Tin this Saturday.

Flaming Rabbit recorded his first win of the season last month with a commanding front-running performance over 1,600m, and the son of Time Test will step up to 1,800m for the first time in his career in the Class Two Advancing Culture & Sports Handicap.

“He’s stepping up and taking a chance,” Whyte said. “He bounced back well from a freshen-up and he won with authority last time. He’s won over a tough mile at Goodwood, so if he has a soft time of it [in front] he’ll get the 1,800m. He’s vulnerable but he should get the trip.

“He’s in good form and I took the opportunity of running him. It would be too long between runs otherwise, we would’ve had to wait for the next mile race and trial again first.”

Whyte also saddles last-start winner Valiant Elegance in the Class Four Empowering Youth Handicap (1,200m). The seven-year-old steps up in grade and will have to defy gate 11 to string consecutive wins together.

“He’s as honest as the day is long and he comes in with a light weight,” Whyte said. “Hopefully he can run in the money.”

Meanwhile, Beauty Eternal and Voyage Bubble were put through their paces on Thursday morning in a final hit-out before next weekend’s Group One FWD Champions Mile.

Preparing for their date with Golden Sixty, Beauty Eternal and Voyage Bubble finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in a 1,200m dirt trial at Sha Tin.