Stevenson entered the four-year-old for two races at the opening night meeting of the season but has decided that the 55-Second Challenge over 955m is the most suitable target.

However he wants a decent barrier draw before confirming the trip.

"It would be good if he could draw 2,3, 4 or 5," the trainer said.

"That would give him a couple of options. They are all pretty quick over there so he might be able to duck in behind them. Or, if there are a couple of slower ones drawn inside him, he could cross them.

"But if we draw 7, 8, 9 or wider he probably wouldn't go.

"He'd still run a nice race but there's too much involved to go if you can't win."

War Correspondent won another trial at Spreyton on Tuesday morning and his demeanor prompted Stevenson to select the 955m race.

"The reason we want to go over there is for short-course races," he said.

"At the moment, he just wants to get on with it. Even in the barriers today he tried to jump before the gates opened.

"If we went for the 1200m race he might just run himself into the ground."

Assuming he draws a suitable barrier, War Correspondent will travel to Melbourne either on Wednesday or Thursday night.

"Either way it won't worry me because we've got (trainer) Matthew Brown to look after him," Stevenson said.

The gelding will be ridden by Damien Thornton who partnered him to a win at Moonee Valley in March.

War Correspondent led all the way to easily to beat Tough Boy and Balearic in Tuesday's open trial over 800m.

Brighton trainer Stuart Gandy supplied four of the other six trial winners - Gee Gee Lanett, Gee Gee Queen Bee, Gee Gee Als Prince and Geegeeluckystar.

All were ridden by apprentice Jemma Curtain.

Spreyton trainer Barry Campbell has stable big guns Newhart and Deroche entered for Sandown on Saturday.

Dual Devonport Cup winner Newhart has 58kg in the $160,000 listed Testa Rossa Stakes (1300m).

Classy sprinter Deroche is topweight with 60kg for the $130,000 Benchmark 90 Handicap for mares.

Driver Gareth Rattray survived a protest to win the $20,000 2YO Fillies Sweepstakes final in Hobart on Sunday night but left the track $200 lighter.

Rattray was fined by stewards after pleading guilty to allowing Mays Place to shift up the track in the closing stages.

This led to Rohan Hillier, who drove runner-up Miss Papenhuyzen, lodging an objection, with the beaten margin being only a half head.

During the protest hearing, stewards established that although Mays Place did shift out, Miss Papenhuyzen had also been shifting up the track of her own accord.

About 80m from finish, the sulky wheels of the two fillies "touched briefly" but stewards concluded that neither filly had lost momentum and Hillier had been able to continue driving his horse to the line.

Stewards said they were "not comfortably satisfied" that anything had occurred that warranted changing the placings.

Mangalore trainer Gary Fahey won his third Launceston Breeders Classic final at Mowbray on Monday night with favourite Just May Be.

Having only her second start, Just May Be settled second behind Rojo Diamond before taking a rails run to hit the front on the home turn.

She went on to score by just under a length from Dashing Pippa with Tyla's Girl a length away third and Rojo Diamond fading slightly to fourth.

Fahey, who bred and races Just May Be with his brother Greg, also prepared 2011 winner Miki Moto Mike and Just Browsing who scored in 2018.

Just May Be is by Sh Avatar from 10-time winner Social Sally who is out of the Fahey family's great producer Dennes Point.

Her litter sister Mini's Magic also made the final but was last out from box eight, wide on the first turn then checked going into the back straight. She ran home strongly to finish fifth.

The meeting at Spreyton on Sunday may have had the most experienced lineup of riders for many years but stewards reported a mainly incident-free day.

Three jockeys were reprimanded for minor careless riding offences but there were no fines or suspensions.

Only one senior jockey, Dianne Parish, rode at the meeting alongside eight apprentices.

It's been confirmed that the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate will again be without crowds this year but there is still uncertainty around the Melbourne Cup.

The Victoria Racing Club is optimistic it will be able to open the Flemington gates at some stage during its four-day carnival.

But, under the Victorian Government's latest 'roadmap', patrons will not be allowed back on course until 80 percent of the population aged over 16 is fully vaccinated.

And, it's estimated that won't happen until 'around November 5' - three days after the big race.

That would also be too late for Oaks Day but could see crowds return for the final day on Saturday November 6 featuring the Mackinnon Stakes.

Compare that situation to Sydney where the COVID situation is far worse.

It's expected that 5000 people will be allowed to attend The Everest meeting on the same day as the Caulfield Cup day.