Mornington trainer David Brideoake has big expectations with Group One winner Princess Jenni (NZ) (High Chaparral) heading into the Melbourne Spring Carnival.

The first Group One race of the 2020-21 Australian racing season is the immediate target for trainer John Sargent with Brandenburg (NZ) (Burgundy).

The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young stable are hopeful Tavirun (NZ) (Tavistock) does not have any bad memories of his last trip to The Valley.

Warrnambool-trained gelding Mystery Shot (Shooting to Win) has earned himself a break after landing his fifth win on end with a tough on-pace performance at Caulfield.

Group performer She’s A Thief (NZ) (Showcasing) recorded her fifth win from 24 starts and continued her rich vein of form with a dominant on-speed victory at Caulfield when taking the Neds Same Race Multi Handicap (1100m).

Progressive staying filly High Emocean (NZ) (Ocean Park) has continued her own winter rise through the grades and in the process ended the winning sequence of her stablemate Persan at Caulfield.

Moe trainer Peter Gelagotis is now eyeing some spring targets for Blandford Lad (NZ) (Savabeel) after he made it back-to-back wins at Sandown on Wednesday.

Talented three-year-old Travest (NZ) (Tavistock) will step up to 1400m on Saturday when he contests the TAB Handicap at Rosehill.

Unbeaten three-year-old Mystery Shot (Shooting To Win) will be out to keep his picket fence formline intact when he lines up at Caulfield on Saturday.

Romancer (NZ) (Redwood) found his best form to cause an upset in Saturday’s James Dunbar’s Flemington Inn (1600m) and in doing so, book a potential spring campaign.

Trainer Robert Hickmott holds spring ambitions for Bumper Blast (NZ) (Ocean Park) after the lightly raced galloper returned with an impressive win at Flemington.

The Bob Peters-owned Showmanship (NZ) (Showcasing) is currently en route from Western Australia to Victoria where he will join a quartet of well-credentialed stablemates.

Tavirun (NZ) (Tavistock) may be having his fifth start this preparation at Flemington on Saturday, but it will be the first time his trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young have been satisfied with his fitness level this campaign

The win of the Anthony Freedman-trained Bedford (NZ) (Tavistock) in the final race at Caulfield on Saturday capped a stellar day for his late sire.

12 months ago Travimyfriend (NZ) (Tavistock) broke through for his first Australian win and the seven-year-old gelding repeated the dose in the equivalent race this year when taking out the Neds Same Race Multi Handicap (1400m).

Lord Bouzeron (NZ) (Burgundy) has made a successful introduction to Australian racing with a dominant victory against his own age on rain-affected going at Caulfield.

Jockey Michael Rodd and trainer Lindsey Smith are becoming a lethal combination after teaming for another success at Caulfield.

Four-year-old gelding Tavidance (NZ) (Tavistock) was a comfortable winner at Caulfield on Saturday when landing the Neds Bet Back Handicap (1400m) for trainers Mick Price and Michael Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr.

The younger member of the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr training partnership is expecting a better performance from Tavisan (NZ) (Tavistock) with his return to his home track at Caulfield.

Trainer Paul Preusker has taken a patient approach with Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) contender Surprise Baby (NZ) (Shocking) this year.

Racing NSW has banned horses trained in Victoria from taking part in races in the northern state for an indefinite period.

Trainer Kim Waugh cannot fault Trumbull (NZ) (Darci Brahma) as she prepares the last-start Civic Stakes winner to chase another feature race victory at Rosehill this winter.

Trainer Amy McDonald is keeping a lid on the hype surrounding impressive maiden steeplechase winner Flying Agent (NZ) (Raise The Flag).

Southern Lad (Ocean Park) has been knocking on the door of a win this campaign and trainer John O’Shea is hopeful the potential for a drier surface will enhance the sprinter’s winning chances in the Listed Ramornie Handicap at Grafton.

Racing Victoria says it is awaiting advice on exactly what the upcoming border closure on Tuesday night between Victoria and NSW will mean for horse movements between the two states.

Michael Dee’s season is over with the jockey likely to have surgery later on Monday for a broken collarbone.

Australian racecaller Luke Marlow has called time on his stint in Singapore.

Veteran sprinter Lord Von Costa (by Van Costa de Hero) again showed his penchant for the famed straight sprint course of Flemington when closing late in the final stages of the $128,000, Listed, VRC Furphy All Victorian Sprint Series Final (1200m) to post his third victory over the course and distance.

A trip north paid dividends when Tigre Royale (NZ) (Redwood) scored a gritty victory at Randwick in the TAB Vision Bm78 Handicap (2400m) on Saturday.

Walking Flying (NZ) (Tavistock) brought up a winning hattrick at Flemington on Saturday when scoring a stylish victory in the Silver Bowl Series Final (1600m).

Leading Sydney jockey James McDonald has had a three-week riding ban reduced to seven days by the Racing NSW Appeals Panel.

Well-bred filly Le Gai Soleil (NZ) made it three wins in succession when scoring a comfortably victory on the Kensington track at Randwick on Wednesday over 1550m under leading jockey James McDonald.

Trainer Colin Little is banking on Vassilator’s (NZ) (Zacinto) liking for Flemington as a key factor as the gelding chases a second stakes victory.

Trainer Paul Preusker has joked about needing a few better sprinters in his yard to push his stable star Surprise Baby (NZ) (Shocking) in trackwork.

Not by design, the Greg Eurell-trained Victoria Star (NZ) (Tavistock) goes into the Listed Winter Championship Series Final (1600m) at Flemington having not raced for five weeks.

But Eurell is hopeful that proves and advantage rather than a hindrance to the lightly raced six-year-old gelding in Saturday’s mile race which has been a target for him.

Victoria Star has been entered to race the past two Saturdays in Melbourne but has been left stranded as an emergency and not gained a start.

It means he has not raced since finishing third in a heat of the series on May 30 at Caulfield, which was the second start of his current campaign after winning impressively at Cranbourne first-up.

Eurell is hoping for rain in the lead-up to Saturday to aid the gelding’s winning prospects in the race in which he has drawn wide in a capacity field.

“Finally we get a run with this horse so I’m looking forward to that,” Eurell said.

“It’s his first time over the mile so it will be interesting to see what he can do but he’s in great shape.

“We’ve been trying to get a run the last couple of weeks with him and just couldn’t get in there but one thing about it is I don’t think he’s a horse that has to race consistently to get the best out of him.

“He’ll go into this with a fresh set of legs.

“I have no doubt in my mind he will run out a mile and if it happened to be wet it would enhance his chances for sure.

“He’s very dynamic on a wet track.”

Victoria Star – who has won three of his five starts since joining Eurell’s stable having previously raced in New Zealand as Rocstock and Hong Kong – was at $12 in an early market on Wednesday.

In-form Heptagon (NZ) (Jimmy Choux) was the $5.50 favourite, just ahead of Shot Of Irish (Canford Cliffs) ($6) and Plein Ciel (Mamool) ($7).

Regally-bred filly Grand De Flora (NZ) (Savabeel) recorded back-to-back wins at Sandown on Wednesday when taking out her 1600m contest.

Well-bred filly Le Gai Soleil (NZ) (Tavistock) made it three wins in succession when scoring a comfortably victory on the Kensington track at Randwick on Wednesday over 1550m under leading jockey James McDonald.