Ryley Major faces a formidable task off 30m against quality opposition in the Conditioned Handicap but at least his supporters will get better odds than the $1.22 on offer a fortnight ago.

On that occasion, he was unable to catch Call Me Hector over the 2200m trip at Mowbray when the leader got away with some cheap sectionals before running his last 800m in 56.7 seconds.

It was Ryley Major's first run since winning the $75,000 Tasmania Cup in March and the first time he hasn't won when resuming from a spell.

"He was beaten but he wasn't disgraced and I think he'll improve from the run," Hillier said.

"He had a trial before that race so it should bring him up to where he needs to be.

"He's a horse that loves to race and getting some runs under his belt will do him the world of good."

Hillier is resigned to the fact that, despite a shortage of suitable races in Tasmania, Ryley Major has nowhere else to go.

"We thought pre-COVID we'd like to test the waters in Victoria, New South Wales or wherever but at the moment he can't go anywhere so we're not looking too far down the track," the trainer said.

"He'll just poke around here week to week and, if things open up, we'll definitely have a crack over the water."

Hillier said that Ryley Major, despite rising eight years of age, still had plenty to offer.

"He did a tendon as a three-year-old and had almost three years off so he's had only 40 starts," the trainer said.

"If he stays sound, there should be plenty left in the tank.

"He's sound as a bell at the moment, touch wood."

Ryley's Major main danger on Sunday looks to be quick beginner Scooterwillrev who could lead and be hard to run down.

Well-related galloper Fragment looks well placed to give leading trainer Scott Brunton a good start to the new season at Spreyton on Sunday.

Fragment has had only two starts for Brunton, winning first-up in Hobart on July 5 before a close second to Minute Repeater at the same track a fortnight later.

He returns to his old home track this week to contest the Open Handicap over 1350m.

Having spent most of his career with trainer Barry Campbell, Fragment is no stranger to the synthetic surface where he's had 10 starts for two wins and five placings.

Both his wins have been over Sunday's distance of 1350m.

The gelding, who turns eight on Saturday, is raced by the Woodlawn Park Stud syndicate managed by David Larter.

He was bred by the Larter family from the Hennessy mare Penn, a half sister to their group 1 winner Alfa.

Three of Fragment's main dangers on Sunday are resuming from spells but have contrasting first-up records.

Amaword is almost a first-up specialist, having won three of his six runs while fresh.

However Century Arrow and Balearic have never won at their first run after a spell and boast much better second-up records.

Century Arrow hasn't raced since an unsuccessful trip to Melbourne last September.

He has an exceptional record on the synthetic where he's raced 14 times for seven wins and five seconds.

Trainer Angela Brakey will most likely be heading the rising seven-year-old towards the Devonport Cup.

He was a final acceptor for feature race in 2019 but was relegated to third emergency and missed a start.

Raquel Clark rode him to an easy win, carrying 60.5kg, in a minor race on the same program.

Harness stewards have suspended reinsman Ben Woodsford for six race dates over his drive on Arakbell at Mowbray last Sunday night.

Woodsford pleaded guilty to a charge under AHRR 149(2) that deals with driving tactics that are deemed to be 'unreasonable or unacceptable'.

Stewards said that Woodsford attacked for the lead for too long, giving Arakbell no respite, and she started to give ground at the 700m before getting beaten 104m.

The penalty took into account his 'excellent record'.