While Saturday's meeting at Sandown may appear a lacklustre affair compared to the exciting meeting at Rosehill in Sydney, there is at least one race of interest.
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Trainer Chris Waller appears poised to be a major player in Sydney, but he has also added a touch of intrigue to the Sandown fixture.
Waller has floated former English stayers Trade Commissioner and Our Voodoo Prince over the border to make their Australian debuts in the Surdex Steel Handicap.
Trade Commissioner had been entered for last week's Golden Mile at Bendigo but the stable has waited another week for the horse to begin its Australian campaign.
Our Voodoo Prince created much attention with his performances in England last spring.
Waller has enjoyed great success with imported stayers.
A local galloper having just his third race start in two years could well be the testing material in the Surdex Steel Handicap.
The Lloyd Williams-owned Wales, who scored at Caulfield in 2012, returned to racing at Sandown earlier this month for a courageous win.
Tooleybuc Kid is favourite after scoring a win at Cranbourne last start following several prominent placings.
Tooleybuc Kid has the chance to extend trainer Darren Weir's lead in the Melbourne trainers' premiership and give talented apprentice Jye McNeil another city success.
The other interesting runner is the Kathryn Durden-trained Wells, one of Australia's most polished jumpers, who is returning in the 1600-metre event.
Wells, who fell in the Grand National Hurdle at his last start, is primed to become Victoria's most exciting jumper this winter.
