Handy mare Serene Star looks a terrific winning chance when she steps out in the fifth heat of the All Victorian Sprint Series at Flemington this weekend.

A winner of eight races, up to listed level, Serene Star is a good and reliable mare with her turn of foot her key asset.

She used it to good effect winning first up and her form hasn’t gone backwards in a pair of placed efforts since. First disadvantaged by tempo and then last time by racing wide on a day where the pattern was to be anywhere but.

She has still closed strongly in each of those runs and despite taking on the boys today things don’t appear decidedly tougher.

Her lone straight run is best overlooked as she was given too much to do on that day but again her customary strong close was on show.

She’s seen as being ahead of her current official handicap of 98 and can make folly of that mark today.

Planet Voyage is in winning form and has upside but our prices have the mare at the top of the market and the $6 available makes plenty of appeal.

There is also plenty to like about another handy mare in Ominous Quality earlier on the card.

She returns from a short let-up following a two-run Sydney campaign where she ran well in a pair of tougher races than what she tackles here.

It’s a typically competitive mare’s handicap but she has the best form in the book and is backable around the $5.50 mark.

If the track were to come up soft the market will be interesting as she is unplaced in two on soft ground but deeper inspection shows that she was good without luck in one and competitive two back on a heavy track in a Group 3 Millie Fox.

We took on Shiny Buttons at the price last time and got our fingers burnt but the market finds him again and again he looks to have a tougher task in front of him than his price suggests.

He is very honest but so is Readings and its worth noting he meets her 3.5kgs worse for beating her a neck last time.

There is nothing between Readings and Altonio on prior form and the lot of them look at the mercy of the lightly raced Cooldini, who despite beating limited opposition won impressively at Sandown last time and looks a big chance of following up here.

The feeling is that Cooldini should be clear favourite and at $4.50 Shiny Buttons is one to be opposed.

Laying him one out is taking fairly short odds so it may be best played by making a book, laying him along with the hurdlers, who also look slightly over-factored in early betting.

THE MELBOURNE MAIL:

BANKER: RACE 7 #5 SERENE STAR @ $6

LAY OF THE DAY: RACE 3 #4 SHINY BUTTONS @ $4.50