The spring carnival switches to the Sandown Hillside circuit on Saturday and hopefully we can enjoy a winning day despite the long 10-race card.
STRATUM STAR (Sandown - Race 2 No 1)
He hasn't won for more than a year but this bloke gets his chance to break through in an easier race than those he has been contesting recently. He hasn't been too bad in his three runs this time in and might not have been suited working forward early in the Cantala Stakes last time. This is easier and his effort in the Moonga Stakes two runs back was sound. He can do better in this line-up.
BET: WIN
ODDS $5.50 @ William Hill
PROMPT RESPONSE (Sandown - Race 5 No 5)
Prompt Response has been super honest in all her four runs in Melbourne this time in and gets her chance to notch a deserved win here. She has drawn wide and worked hard near the speed before boxing on well at her last couple of runs but has drawn perfectly in barrier three with Damien Oliver aboard on Saturday. Her last-start Flemington conqueror Jennifer Lynn will tackle the Sandown Guineas, which makes her task that little bit easier.
BET: WIN
ODDS $3.20 @ Bet365
WHO SHOT THEBARMAN (Sandown - Race 7 No 1)
Who Shot Thebarman won last year's Sandown Classic in a canter and should be tough to beat in the 2016 edition of the race. His run in the Metropolitan was good and held off all bar his stablemate Grand Marshal in the Moonee Valley Cup. He came from last after starting from barrier 20 and made ground in the Melbourne Cup. He's going well and it's a matter of trainer Chris Waller finding the perfect race for him and the Zipping Classic looks the right assignment for him.
BET: WIN
ODDS $3.40 @ William Hill
LUCKY HUSSLER (Sandown - Race 8 No 1)
He has found the top sprinters a touch too sharp in his two runs back from a spell but Lucky Hussler hasn't been too far away, finishing less than four lengths from the winner in both the Moir and Manikato Stakes. He has shaped as though another 100m in the Kevin Heffernan Stakes will suit him well. The weight-for-age format gives the Group I winners Lucky Hussler, Under The Louvre and Famous Seamus an advantage and Lucky Hussler should be ready to show something like his best in this.
BET: WIN
ODDS $4.80 @ William Hill, Ladbrokes, Sportsbet, Unibet, Palmerbet, Bookmaker, Betstar
SILENT SEDITION (Sandown - Race 10 No 2)
She has the outside gate but there's no reason Silent Sedition won't challenge late in the final event at Sandown. Her two runs this time in have been solid, including at Flemington when third on Melbourne Cup day, and the step up to the 1500m will be good for her. The outside gate means she will probably go back to find cover but she can produce a good finished as shown when second to Abbey Marie in the Group I Schweppes Oaks in the autumn. She can send punters home happy from Sandown.
BET: WIN
ODDS $5 @ Luxbet, Unibet, Palmerbet