There can be little doubt as to the day's highlight. The great So Si Bon tackles the Gold Mile for the fifth time. So Si Bon won here in 2020 and 2021 before running second 12 months ago to Imperial Lad who goes in the sprint this time around.
In 2018 So Si Bon made an inglorious start to his Gold Mile career, finishing a well-held fifth. The runner up that day was an old sparring partner of So Si Bon, Widgee Turf, and he was able to come back 12 months later and turn second into first. That is the path that So Si Bon now looks to follow and he looks a great chance of doing that as he turns up in better form that he was in 12 months ago.
So Si Bon isn't quite the same model as the one that was running ratings around 115 when he won this race in 2021 and his ratings were a touch stronger going into 2020 as well, but he can still claim to be a smart performer as he heads towards ten years of age.
The old boy showed he still has the taste for it when putting the ears back and repelling the progressive Detonator Jack in the summer and he has pitched up in much stronger company in three spins since, the latest in the All Star Mile where he beat half home in a fast and high-rating mile.
Put simply, that looks good enough here in a race where the betting is headed by Pinstriped who we threw up last week and had to settle for a non-threatening fourth.
Pinstriped can't be chucked away so simply having looked ready to improve into last week and it may be that improvement comes seven days on up to the mile, but a good case can be made for So Si Bon being the right favourite and we won't waste a chance to put him up as the Melbourne Mail's top selection.
For an each-way play we roll back to the Gold Distaff which is run as the second race on the card.
Here Belle Savoir goes favourite and the likeable Megamea the market danger but it is the third line that interests with Good And Proper looking to have come back in top order based on her Hillside return.
Good And Proper has slipped out to 13 losses on the bounce now but can and should snap that run this preparation if her closing splits from last time are anything to go by.
Perhaps it is too rich here with the two ahead of her in the betting boasting better peak ratings but they do look vulnerable. Megamea will be better suited back to 1400m but she was just okay first up and the same could be said of Belle Savoir who did enough on her return from a long break but not so much that she looks unopposable.
Perhaps that run sharpens Belle Savoir right up but it did leave a thought that she will be looking for further than 1400m soon enough and Good And Proper might have the change of gear to trouble her now.
THE MELBOURNE MAIL
Bet Of The Day: Race 8 #3 So Si Bon @ $4.50
Each Way Play: Race 2 #4 Good And Proper @ $10.00