Reigning Phoenix champion Schillaci returned from a four-and-a-half month layoff in blistering style at Warragul on Tuesday night, to ignite hopes of a return to his best ahead of a big Dream Chasers campaign.

The three-year-old, winner of 12 from his 30 career starts, took time to muster early but found the lead in the back straight and kicked clear to win by six.

It was his first run since a fifth-placed finish as favourite in a heat of the Anniversary Cup at Angle Park in April, having spent the past four months rehabilitating from a broken toe.

Trainer Jihad Talgi said the performance proved Schillaci was somewhere back to his best.

“It’s such a relief. I felt a lot of pressure going into tonight,” Talgi said.

“He’s gone super considering he had four and a half months off.

“He had been trialling really well, even better than he was when he won the Phoenix.”

Talgi said his eyes were on the match race series at Angle Park, which guarantees the winner a free ticket into the Adelaide Cup – a race Schillaci was crunched in last year.

“He’ll race again in the next two weeks but I’m not sure where yet,” Talgi said.

“At the moment the aim is the match racing series at Angle Park.”

Schillaci is considered a $31 chance by Sportsbet to defend his Phoenix crown on December 21, a feat Wow She’s Fast achieved in 2022.