We've had some nice horses and nice races in the past couple of weeks, but it kicks off in earnest on Saturday in both Sydney and Melbourne of course headlined by Winx in the Winx Stakes.
Winx was one of those contributors last year, winning the same race as she contests tomorrow, then known as the Warwick Stakes, prior to her going on to win three spring majors, the George Main Stakes, Turnbull Stakes and Cox Plate.
No surprises there but the other races look more interesting.
In last year's P B Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield; Tosen Stardom (Toorak Handicap and Emirates Stakes), Humidor (Makybe Diva Stakes) and Gailo Chop (Caulfield Stakes) competed, finishing fifth, sixth and eleventh respectively.
This year it looks an interesting race with a big 16 horse field, including Humidor again, and very open with the favourite, Grunt at $6. Field and form at Racenet
Also at Caulfield, the Regal Roller Stakes saw Vega Magic (Memsie Stakes) and Santa Ana Lane (Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes) involved with Vega Magic winning and Santa Ana Lane finishing third. Field and form at Racenet
And interestingly, the Metropolitan winner, Foundry finished second in the Open 1600m race at Caulfield and it might be worth noting that one of the 15 entrants tomorrow is Harrison, who resumes in the same Lloyd Williams ownership as Foundry. Field and form at Racenet
In Sydney, apart from the Winx Stakes, last year's Silver Shadow Stakes runner-up was Alizee who went on to take the Flight Stakes a few weeks later. Field and form at Racenet
But perhaps the most interesting race was the Up And Coming Stakes where the fifth placegetter at $26 was Ace High, after coming off a provincial maiden win, and sixth at $7 was Trapeze Artist.
Trapeze Artist went on to win the Golden Rose while Ace High took the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick followed by the Victoria Derby. Field and form at Racenet
And if you want another interesting tidbit of a good form race – the provincial maiden at Kembla Grange that Ace High won in July last year – the runner up was Unforgotten, now an Australian Oaks winner with over a million dollars in the bank.
And yes there was a corresponding 1400m maiden at Kembla Grange this year, the winner being the Snowden trained Navigator, from Godolphin's Aramayo.