Mark Kavanagh has provided the icing on the cake for punters celebrating free entry to Saturday’s Super Family Day at Flemington with the confirmation that Shocking will be back in action.

The Emirates Melbourne Cup winner was scratched from the $1m Darley Australian Cup (2000m) last weekend with a hoof abscess, but will take his place in the postponed feature seven days later.

Under the rules of racing, the people's favourite was allowed to resume his place in the field once the race was rescheduled owing to the dramatic storm that struck Flemington on Super Saturday.

The Cup is one of two Group 1s carried over from last weekend's meeting with a star-studded cast of three-year-olds, headed by Denman, lining up for the aborted $750,000 Crown Guineas (1600m).

The Kavanagh stable has worked hard on getting Shocking right for the weight-for-age showdown and the colourful trainer feels confident their efforts have paid off.

“At this stage he's much better than he was last Saturday morning so we're feeling pretty optimistic,” he said on Thursday morning.

“He was 100 percent yesterday (Wednesday) morning when we galloped and he was 100 percent again this morning so I'm happy with him.”

Kavanagh said the horse didn't miss too much work and that the week's delay had helped offset any lost time.

“He missed last Saturday morning, we swum him on Sunday morning, pace worked him on Monday and Tuesday and gave him a good searching gallop on Wednesday morning,” he explained.

Kavanagh expressed his delight at the horse's two appearances this campaign in the Orr and St George Stakes and believes his stable star remains a key player despite the setback.

“They've been excellent. He's coming right at the right time. He has an excellent record at Flemington, the spacious track seems to suit him,” he said.

“The make-up may have changed a little since last week, but it looks like it will be a genuinely run race which suits us.”

Shocking is second favourite in the TAB Fixed Odds market at $7 with last year's Crown Guineas winner Heart Of Dreams the popular elect at $6.

The favourite's stablemate Miss Maren and grand veteran Zipping share the third line at $8 with 2008 Cup winner Sirmione, one of two runners for 13-time Cup winning trainer Bart Cummings, at $9.

Despite the tragic passing of Our Aqaleem, trainer David Hayes still has three chances of claiming back-to-back Cups with three-year-old Extra Zero ($13), last year's placegetter Zagreb ($17) and outsider Growl ($51).

In the co-feature, boom Sydney colt Denman remains a commanding $1.65 favourite with Set For Fame and Linton the dangers.