Shellscrape travels to Melbourne this week for the Oakleigh Plate having fully recovered from a foot abscess which delayed the start of his autumn campaign.The Galaxy winner was due to return in the Group Three Southern Cross Stakes on February 12 but was pulled out a day earlier.However, Rosehill trainer Chris Waller said it was nothing but a minor blip and the four-year-old had missed no work in the lead-up to the Group One Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday."He looks terrific and

Shellscrape travels to Melbourne this week for the Oakleigh Plate having fully recovered from a foot abscess which delayed the start of his autumn campaign.

The Galaxy winner was due to return in the Group Three Southern Cross Stakes on February 12 but was pulled out a day earlier.

However, Rosehill trainer Chris Waller said it was nothing but a minor blip and the four-year-old had missed no work in the lead-up to the Group One Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

"He looks terrific and will leave for Melbourne on Wednesday," Waller said.

"We thought about giving him a barrier trial to make up for missing the race but decided to give him three gallops the reverse way of going instead.

"He has already had two and will have his final workout on Tuesday.

"It's a bit hard to get a line on him because he is very relaxed but he seems to handle the other way of going and looks terrific so I'm happy."

Nash Rawiller will take the mount and also will also be aboard Futurity Stakes favourite More Joyous.

Shellscrape has been Group One placed twice in Melbourne but both those were up the straight at Flemington.

He finished third to Headway in the Coolmore Stud Stakes in the spring of 2009 and third in the Lightning Stakes won by Nicconi in January last year.

Shellscrape returned to Sydney after two unplaced Melbourne runs following the Lightning and went into the Galaxy at Randwick off a six-week break.

He had a chequered passage in the Group One sprint and crossed the line a half neck behind Ortensia who subsequently returned a positive swab to ractopamine, a substance usually used to treat pigs.

After a lengthy inquiry and appeals process, Ortensia was stripped of the win but her trainer Tony Noonan was not penalised.

Shellscrape has had two barrier trials since he finished out of the money in the Salinger Stakes in the spring and, apart from the foot abscess, his preparation has gone smoothly.

"He is very well and as long as he handles Caulfield as I think he will then he will be competitive," Waller said.