Some highly rated performances and strong formlines auger well for the chances of Iriomote against the older horses in the Land Engineering Showcase Handicap (1216m) at Mornington.

Iriomote has performed well during each of her three runs this campaign and last start placed in weekend city company at Moonee Valley.

The Peter Snowden-trained filly now drops back to the midweeks in the Land Engineering Showcase Handicap at Mornington on Wednesday.

The Benchmark 72 Handicap appears to be the easiest assignment Iriomote has faced since a narrow defeat on resuming at Ballarat.

Iriomote ran third at Moonee Valley over 1200m where she worked across to sit second from an awkward draw and fought on well in the straight to finish third.

The Exceed And Excel filly placed behind Elite Elle and Red Fez with an effort yielding a Timeform rating assessed at 84.

Form out of the race appears strong with Elite Elle running to a new peak the following start when second at Caulfield while Red Fez chalked up another black type placing in Morphettville’s H C Nitschke Stakes (1400m).

The run prior, Iriomote contested a 1000m $50,000 three-year-old feature at Bendigo.

She was ridden cold on that occasion and while probably given too much to do over the concluding stages still worked home nicely into sixth, 2.5 lengths off the winner Melting Pot.

Form out of the race again appears strong with runner up Falcent subsequently winning at Caulfield with Melting Pot only 1.5 lengths behind him.

What Iriomote has shown in those runs is her versatility, getting to the line well whether she has settled on the speed or worse than midfield.

Expect jockey Vlad Duric to utilise barrier 3 though and position the filly up near the speed with minimal fuss from that inside gate.

Iriomote has pounds on her rivals in this event on latest figures so from her forward position, class should prevail down the short Mornington straight.

The filly has won two of her seven career outings with one of them coming at this track over 1000m during the spring.

As is expected at Mornington on Wednesday, Iriomote on that occasion sat up near the lead before kicking away around the bend and holding on for victory.

Peter Snowden has called on the services of Vlad Duric at Mornington and the season statistics the pair each possess are also positives when assessing the chances of Iriomote.

The Snowden stable can do no wrong in 2012/13. Boasting a winning success rate of 18% for the season so far, his strike rate with three-year-olds in non black type races sits at 19%.

His team’s metropolitan success rate in Melbourne this season is a respectable 16% having amassed 33 winners form just over 200 starters.

Focusing in more closely on the situation faced by Iriomote this afternoon, Snowden has taken 10 runners to Mornington this season for five wins and four minor placings.

Vlad Duric has become Snowden’s number 1 rider in Victoria as Kerrin McEvoy bases himself in Sydney and Duric has taken the opportunity with both hands.

Duric is enjoying a success rate of 26% so far this season on Peter Snowden-trained runners, up on the 18% he is riding at overall for 2012/13.

He has so far struck at 24% during his rides at Mornington and gets a great chance of building upon that record here.

If assessing her chances on latest form figures, Iriomote should win the Land Engineering Showcase Handicap (1216m) in pretty comfortable fashion.

A few rivals if at their peak though are capable of throwing down the gauntlet including the Team Hawkes-trained Taxi Driver.

The dual metropolitan winning galloper was simply poor last start as he settled back and was left flat footed over 1000m at Sandown.

Taxi Driver steps back up to six furlongs here and considering his best results have so far come at Moonee Valley, the tight Mornington track should suit the Fastnet Rock gelding.

Ignoring his latest effort, Taxi Driver has been sound this campaign with efforts to date assessed at 82 when winning fresh at Moonee Valley and then 80 when a close fifth at Caulfield.

The four-year-old possesses a master rating of 86, one pound clear of Iriomote’s figure however gives the filly 3.5kg at the weights.

If Iriomote just holds her form from last start it will take a career best effort for Taxi Driver to land the cash.

The well bred gelding is only lightly raced though and seeing him bounce back sharply from a last start flop would not surprise.

Drawn inside Iriomote, Dwayne Dunn and Taxi Driver appear leading candidates to set the tempo or potentially risk being caught in a pocket with Iriomote no doubt sitting outside them.

Diazling [Scratched] is another worthy of consideration based on form earlier this campaign.

The Sequalo mare performed well on resuming as she won first up at Stony Creek over 1100m where she equalled her master Timeform figure achieved during a prior first up outing.

The Luke Oliver-trained mare couldn’t go on with the job at Geelong, finishing second with an effort rated seven pounds shy of her first up run.

Diazling often delivers her best campaign results fresh however a return to a first up figure would see her fighting out the finish.

Ventic has been up for an age yet continues to fire as was evidenced last start at this track, class and distance on April 13.

The Byron Cozamanis-trained gelding crossed over from a wide barrier and attempted to make all on that occasion however could only battle away for second.

He used up a fair bit of petrol crossing over from an awkward draw on that occasion and if riding instructions remain the same, apprentice Jye McNeil should take up a forward spot in much easier fashion jumping from barrier 4.

Ventic’s latest effort was assessed at 80 who possesses a master rating of 84.

The Blevic gelding will likely have to lift again on his latest effort to be a genuine winning chance.

Regardless, the four-year-old is producing some career best efforts this campaign and profiles as a value hope.

Wednesday’s Land Engineering Showcase Handicap contains plenty of depth however on best and latest form, Iriomote profiles superior to her main rivals.

For that reason, the filly should make a return to the Mornington winners circle.