More Joyous has been cleared to travel to Melbourne for the spring and will likely resume in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes

More Joyous has been given the all-clear to travel to Melbourne to begin her spring racing carnival by trainer Gai Waterhouse.

The five-year-old competed in her first barrier trial last Friday since resuming work.

The More Than Ready mare finished fifth, but that was enough to impress Waterhouse.

More Joyous is likely to have her first-up run in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes on the September 23.

“She will go straight to Melbourne, the Manikato Stakes is the race we’re talking,” Waterhouse said.

“I’m over the moon with her.

“She told us she wanted to trial, she was jumping out of her skin and I couldn’t be happier with her.”

More Joyous won four of her five starts during the autumn, including the Group 1 Futurity Stakes and the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes.

While More Joyous features in the early Cox Plate nominations, her trainer says it is unlikely she will run in the $3 million race.

“She’s been paid up for (the Cox Plate) but it’s not on the agenda,” Waterhouse said.

Waterhouse is also happy with the progress of last year’s Caulfield Cup winner Descarado, who won his barrier trail over 1,250 metres last Friday.

The trainer is considering running him in the Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley on September 10.

“I’m thinking seriously about kicking him off over 1600 metres at Moonee Valley on the 10th,” Waterhouse said.

“I think he might have even come back a touch better than last year, he’s more mature.”