Three potential cups contenders that won their last starts by a combined margin of almost 15 lengths will clash in the main race at Mowbray on Wednesday night.
The Risk Factor, One Lotto and Encosta Fiorente will have their staying credentials tested in the Benchmark 76 Handicap over 2450m.
They may not all make it to the major cups, but their recent form suggests they could play a role in other good races along the way.
The Risk Factor, who has won five times over 2100m, is coming off a comfortable Mowbray win at his third run after a spell a fortnight ago.
One Lotto finally got it all together to score by 5-1/4 lengths over 2200m in Hobart three weeks ago.
And, Encosta Fiorente spaced her rivals over 2100m in lower grade in Hobart nine days ago.
After his last start, trainer Adam Trinder expressed reservations about running The Risk Factor over 2400m so far out from the major cups.
"His program is a bit awkward - the next step up is to 2400m but I'm not fully committed to it this early," Trinder said.
"But he is going to end up in the cups - he'll get the opportunity to see whether he's good enough.
"He is a very genuine stayer."
One Lotto had been worrying jockey David Pires with his reluctance to finish off his races but put that concern to rest when he charged away from a moderate lineup last start.
He was helped by a 5kg drop in weight, which kept Pires out of the saddle, but replacement rider Georgie Catania said the step up to 2200m was probably the main factor.
"He won really good and felt like he could probably go another lap," Catania said.
Trainer John Luttrell has been singing the praises of Encosta Fiorente for some time and the mare's last-start effort was totally dominant.
She was pulling hard 1200m out and apprentice Taylor Johnstone eventually had to let her go.
Normally, horses weaken after over-racing like that but she kept running and the margin was an ever-widening 6-3/4 lengths.
The quality of her opposition in that race is a query but Luttrell is adamant the mare "has a lot of ability and can stay".
STARS STEPPING OUT
Newmarket Handicap contenders War Correspondent, I'm Wesley and Dark Wanderer and leading 3YO Cup hope Alpine Wolf headline the entries for the barrier trials at Spreyton on Tuesday morning.
Three-time Newmarket winner I'm Wesley, now a nine-year-old, will be having his third official trial since a 20-month layoff.
He beat Our Little Ted at Longford on October 19 then looked impressive accounting for Blaze Forth and Thunberg at Mowbray on November 1.
Trainer Glenn Stevenson gave him a gallop between races at Mowbray last week when War Correspondent had his measure.
"Some people thought he looked a bit disappointing but I thought he worked pretty well," Stevenson said.
I'm Wesley won the Newmarket in 2017 for Raquel Clark, 2018 for Brendon McCoull and 2019 for Daniel Ganderton.
MISCONDUCT BAN
Well-known stablehand and former trainer Lane O'Shannessey has been disqualified for three months on a misconduct charge.
Stewards reported that O'Shannessy engaged in improper conduct during trackwork at Spreyton on September 4 when he physically assaulted fellow stablehand Hannah Van dongen.
This followed a verbal disagreement, stewards said.
Tasracing track staff advised stewards of the incident and forwarded footage from the CCTV camera in the horse stall area.
O'Shannessey pleaded guilty which stewards took into account when assessing penalty along with his lengthy time in the industry and his good record.
However, in his report published on the ORI web site, chief steward Dominic Tyson said: "This was tempered by the fact that violence in the workplace is not to be tolerated under any circumstances, especially considering this was violence toward a female co-worker."
Stewards did not detail the exact nature of the incident but it's understood it could be described as "a kick up the backside".
O'Shannessey trained successfully about 20 years ago when his wins included a Devonport Cup with Vetyvere.
He has appealed the penalty and been granted a stay of proceedings.
DECISION RESERVED
Spreyton trainer Vern Poke is waiting on the result of his appeal against a $1000 fine on a positive swab charge.
The Poke-owned and trained Sizzkye tested positive to arsenic after winning at Spreyton in June and was subsequently disqualified (costing Poke $12,500 in stakemoney).
Stewards accepted Poke's explanation that it was most likely the result of the mare ingesting arsenic while chewing treated pine fencing.
They fined him $2500 with $1500 suspended for 12 months on condition he didn't re-offend.
Poke appealed the balance of the fine on the basis of decisions in previous arsenic cases and his unblemished record in more than 40 years as a trainer.
The Appeal Board heard the case last week.
TRAINER APPEALS
Oatlands harness trainer Matthew Cooper will front the Appeal Board on Thursday to contest two 12-month disqualifications.
Both penalties were the result of a positive swab returned by Call Me Hector after his sixth in the Devonport Cup in January.
The swab findings resulted in two separate charges but, as they were from a single sample, stewards ruled the two disqualifications could be served concurrently.
Cooper was also fined $2000 over a positive swab returned by Call Me Hector after winning in Hobart in February.
In total, Call Me Hector was disqualified from five races and was stood down from racing for 12 months.
