It's not often that a meeting on a rain soaked Sandown in winter has punters reaching for their black books but a handful of promising types look set to have many doing just that when they step out with the spring in their sites today.
The opener looks set to be dominated by the Mick Price trained Collect who made a good impression in three starts last season and is sure to be popular as he kicks off a campaign aimed at some of the springs richest prizes.
The Marc Conners trained Didntcostalot is another likely to go around a well-supported favourite, down from Sydney on the back of an impressive recent trial win, and the card closes with the Group One placed Our Miss Jones beginning a campaign likely to be geared towards her lining up in the carnival's top mare's races.
Goals may not be as lofty for a couple of gallopers in race four, The Cove Hotel (82) Handicap (1800m), but lightly raced pair, Delivery and Garud, appeal as horses to follow as they progress through the grades.
Delivery, a son of Zabeel, is unbeaten in three in his debut campaign, winning twice on the synthetic track at Geelong either side of a comfortable Swan Hill success.
It would seem highly unlikely that he will be pushed deep in to the spring, with his time likely to come next spring, but he is progressing nicely this time in having been placed to advantage so far.
That remains the case today where failure to handle rain affected going would appear to be his biggest hurdle having already produced form to win a race like this with the promise for much more.
Garud began his career trained in the UK by Marco Botti where he had three starts, getting off the mark in a Nottingham maiden over 1677m just over 12 months ago.
He had two runs in his first Australian campaign for Mike Moroney, winning fresh over 1400m before catching the eye over the same course and distance he tackles today, working home from a long way back to finish fourth.
He comes here second up again today, having run well over 1400m at Bendigo fresh, and looks set to take a big step forward.
Stiffest opposition comes from a pair of last start winners, Destiny's Kiss and Clang And Bang.
Destiny's Kiss backs up after winning on the Lakeside course here over a mile last week.
He powered through the heavy going there to win with something to spare and is sure to take beating again today.
Similary Clang And Bang is fit and racing in fine form. He will find things a good deal tougher today, and probably lacks the upside of the others, but his last start win at the course and distance means he must be respected.
