With the scratching of pre-race favourite, Savage One, Sluice Box and the Stephen Miller-trained No Apology currently share equalling billing ($3) in Tabtouch markets.

Sluice Box resumes first up for Ashley Maley after a campaign that commenced in January and ended in July collected three wins and three placings from 14 starts.

The Coolgardie Cup is the first leg of a Goldfields treble for Sluice Box with the Boulder Cup (2100m) and the Kalgoorlie Cup (2200m) target races for the seven-year-old.

Maley expects Sluice Box to be competitive in the Coolgardie Cup, but believes he will come into his own as he steps up over more ground.

"This will be his warm-up into the Boulder and Kalgoorlie Cups," Maley told The Races WA.

"The 1760m isn't ideal, but I think as he gets up over more ground, once he's had a couple of runs I think he's going to be extremely hard to beat in the Kalgoorlie Cup.

"I think he's going to need the run; he's main aim is the Kalgoorlie Cup.

"He's had a bit of a let up and this is the first one back for a while.

"The 1760 after a long travel may test him a bit, but he's a tough little horse and we'll see how he goes."

Sluice Box comes into barrier five with Savage One out of the race.

Shaun Mcgruddy takes the ride, replacing Shaun O'Donnell.

"Shooter (Shaun) has probably got the best record on Sluice Box," Maley said.

"And he would like to ride him in the Kalgoorlie Cup.

"He hasn't won the Kalgoorlie Cup before and would really like to win it.

"He said Sluice Box could be the horse to win it."