Sandown Hillside will play host to Victoria’s major metro meeting this Saturday.
Ten races make up the program and you can find our thoughts on each below.
The Patrick Payne-trained Flattered is well-deserving of her maiden win having mixed her form in tougher races than this so far.
The filly by Yes Yes Yes took on Group 2 company earlier in the year at Caulfield where she finished down the order behind eventual Blue Diamond winner, Hayasugi.
She’s bounced back nicely since, placing in the Gold Sovereign at Launceston and more recently running second to the impressive Growing Empire at Morphettville.
Back in trip and drawn to effect, she’ll take beating if she gets the right run off the speed.
Batoka Chief was an impressive winner on debut at Pakenham two weeks ago over the mile.
The Price and Kent-trained son of Sacred Falls let down with a sizzling turn of foot to win by 2.25 lengths under Luke Currie, and seemingly had plenty left to give through the line.
He’s unlikely to find this much tougher with some relief at the weights, and if he jumps on time on this occasion he should be just as strong in the finish.
Miss Aria placed at Stakes level two back on the Parks track at Morphettville before improving sharply to win her next assignment at Caulfield a couple of weeks ago.
Danny O’Brien had this mare revved up, and it showed in the run home when she overcame a wide sit to prevail by a decent margin over the final 100m.
The claim has been put to good use with Tatum Bull retaining the ride and the pair will likely adopt similar tactics from gate 7.
This is a tougher assignment, but if the track stays somewhere in the Soft range, she should find conditions to suit.
Perilous Fighter is in the mix here if he produces his best.
Clayton Douglas’ colt was outclassed in a Stakes race two back at Flemington, but I thought he bounced back nicely at Caulfield a couple of weeks ago where he was beaten just over a length by Ashford Street.
That was his first run off a five-week break, so there is scope for natural improvement considering he was also caught wide in the run.
Suited over the trip and likely to settle midfield, this looks a nice race for him to atone.
The wide gate is against him, but The Genius does present each-way hopes fitter for two runs back.
The son of So You Think was well-beaten fresh at Mornington by the talented Sea What I See, but did take steps in the right direction three weeks later where he was unlucky to miss out on a place at Caulfield.
Danny O’Brien’s four-year-old only warmed to the task late, and although he might be wanting further now, he does rate a strong chance with decent wet track form to his name.
Bit of a rise in class for Great Taste, but she does look capable based on her two most recent efforts since resuming.
By Choisir, this mare has been runner-up in both attempts at Pakenham and Cranbourne, attempting the mile last-start where she chased hard and only missed out in a fast finish.
She’s still got plenty left to prove with just nine starts under her belt and could be the real danger in the late stages with just 54kg’s on her back.
Likely to appreciate some juice in the track, she’ll do me in another open race.
Let’srollthedice can mix his form but he does know how to win over the 1800m journey.
Nash Rawiller was responsible for his latest victory over the same trip at Rosehill, racing across heels into the straight and lunging over the line for a narrow win.
Fitter now third-up and drawn to get a dream run from barrier 3, he should be just as hard to hold out if the track is dry by this point in the day.
Georgie Get Mad has been up for a while, holding his form nicely to return the money in four of his last five starts.
Dennis Pagan gave this boy a five-week let-up ahead of his run at Geelong two back where he came out and won with real authority along the inside over much shorter.
His latest effort over 1400m at Caulfield was equally full of merit, charging late to run second to smart Kiwi raider He’s Beset in his final few strides.
Out over further now and proven all going, this looks a winnable race if Tatum Bull can save him for the finish.
Starlight Scope looks ready to peak now third-up over further.
Patrick Moloney saddled this six-year-old mare by Irish Group 1 winner Night Of Thunder at Caulfield two weeks ago where the pair only weekend over the final 100m to run second.
The early front running tactics might have gone against her, but she should get a nice time of it up on the speed again with several likely to go forward.
Proven over the trip and capable of handling a soft track, she’s well worth a look in a very tricky race.
Ascension generally improves second-up and I felt there was a lot to like about his first-up run at Warrnambool to start the month.
Ciaron Maher’s seven-year-old doesn’t win out of turn, but he was only run down after charging into the clear over his final few strides off a lengthy break.
Racing over 1400m again is the query, but if he settles handy to the speed under Ben Allen he should be one of the hardest to run down.