The Group placed Demonstrate appears well suited on Wednesday in the Shojun Dual Choice Plate at Geelong.
The John O’Shea-trained gelding has returned in excellent order as a four-year-old, running second to Hellbent on resuming before claiming a strong Benchmark 78 over 1200m at Pakenham 19 days ago.
His latest preparation followed an autumn campaign as a four-year-old where he recorded a number of big performances without winning, namely placing in the Euclase Stakes at Morphettville.
On Wednesday Demonstrate strikes a race where he is a main beneficiary of key scratchings as the gelding contests the Shojun Dual Choice Benchmark 84 Plate (1200m).
Demonstrate ran impressive figures last start at Pakenham yet it still came in below the best he produced last season when second in the Listed Hilton Hotels and Resorts Stakes (1400m) behind Palentino.
There is every chance he can build upon that strong last start figure with added fitness third up.
He has won third up in the past and is reunited for the first time this spring with Godolphin number one rider James McDonald.
One to get back in his races, the gelding should appreciate what looks to be a solid tempo up front.
Watch for the son of New Approach to be charging over the top of them late.
Again, the fifth event at Geelong has lost a number of anticipated key players due to scratchings, namely Lucky Liberty, Gallant Harmony and Caprese.
The resuming Lord Von Costa shapes as an apparent danger.
The gelding returns to the Graham Hulm stable after two starts with Stephen Brown last campaign which culminated with a victory in the A.R Creswick Series Final (1200m).
Lord Von Costa is yet to run out of the money in nine career outings to date and nothing but a forward showing is again expected from him here.
The race falls away sharply outside of the above mentioned pair.
Topweight Magnus Reign is perhaps a value player from an inside barrier.
The son of Magnus has been mixing his form so far this preparation however must be respected with the Rawiller/Weir jockey/trainer combination.
Villopoto can perhaps put a disappointing showing behind him.
The gelding had Blinkers applied for the first time and what ensued was a disappointing tenth over 955m at Moonee Valley.
He was caught wide throughout and was displaying post race respiratory issues.
The Blinkers are taken off again and he had been enjoying some consistency through his prior outings.
It is Demonstrate though who appears set to take some beating in the fifth event at Geelong on Wednesday.
