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There are a number of meetings set to take place on Wednesday including at Canterbury where seven races are scheduled.
Race 6 Canterbury
Flying Destiny @ 7.00
Race 5 Sandown
Miss Icelandic @ 8.00
Race 4 Belmont
Close At Hand @ 3.80
Destiny for Canterbury glory
The penultimate race of the day at Canterbury is a 1250m Benchmark 72 handicap contest.
How Dare You is expected to start favourite for the James Cummings team having resumed with a victory in a 1300m event at Scone in May.
That Scone success came when racing on a soft 5 surface in a Class 2 handicap.
The daughter of Zoustar failed to shine when seventh over 1400m at Rosehill subsequently but it's notable that she was racing on a heavy 9 track that day.
The quicker going expected here is a positive, however, she failed to shine in a Hawkesbury barrier trial earlier this month and looks opposable in this field.
FLYING DESTINY is without a win since completing a double in taking out an 1100m Benchmark 68 handicap held on a good 4 track at Wyong in September last year.
However, the four-year-old has recorded some good efforts in defeat in the interim, including when third over 1200m at Rosehill in November.
That Rosehill effort saw the selection beaten just over half-a-length when racing at Benchmark 72 level and he has raced on heavy tracks in his two most recent starts.
Both of those efforts have come at Warwick Farm including when taking a step forward in finishing two lengths third over 1300m earlier this month.
The pick contested a Benchmark 72 handicap that day and should have no issues dropping back in distance.
Michael Freedman's gelding has performed well on the forecast soft 5 going in the past and is taken to defy a wide barrier to register his fourth career win.
Miss for Sandown success
Eight races are scheduled for Sandown where they are set to race on the Hillside course.
The fifth race of the day is a 1000m Benchmark 78 handicap restricted to fillies & mares.
Mighty is expected to have her supporters having registered some good efforts in three starts in 2024.
The three-year-old has finished in the first four in all three of those starts, including when runner-up over this trip on the Lakeside track here in February.
The filly was spelled following that effort and resumed with a length success in a Benchmark 70 handicap over this track and trip earlier this month.
Trained by Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman, she was successful at Benchmark 70 level that day and rates highly with improvement possible.
However, she is stepping up in grade here and preference is for MISS ICELANDIC from the Gavin Bedggood stable.
The four-year-old completed a hat-trick when successful by nearly three lengths in an 1100m Benchmark 70 handicap at Caulfield earlier this year.
While unable to score in two subsequent starts it's of note that one of those came in the Listed City Of Marion Stakes at Morphettville in February.
The selection wasn't beaten far when sixth of 14 that day and she was spelled following that effort.
The tongue tie worn in her last prep was absent when finishing last of eight in an 1100m Benchmark 84 handicap at Caulfield first up this prep and that returns for this contest.
The drop in grade here is a positive while the softer going expected should prove no issue having broken her maiden on a soft 7 track in May last year.
Hand to salute at Belmont
The Grant & Alana Williams team have to be respected in Western Australia and they are represented by CLOSE AT HAND in the fourth race at Belmont.
This race in question is a 1200m Class 3 handicap with the pick having finished fifth in both starts this prep.
The first of those came over 1000m at this venue while he was beaten just under three lengths over 1022m in a Class 1 handicap at Bunbury subsequently.
While the selection has yet to encounter a soft 6 track in race conditions he appeared to handle a soft 7 when contesting a Lark Hill barrier trial early last month.
The step up in distance looks likely to suit while the gelding has the services of William Pike for the first time this prep.
Pike's only previous ride on the son of Impending saw the three-year-old debut with a victory over 1000m here in January and he looks up to recording his second win.