Needarein broke a long drought when he ran home well to win a benchmark 68 over 1650m in Devonport two weeks ago and he meets a similar field in the Carlton Draught BM68 handicap over 1650m on Sunday.
The Needs Further gelding was exactly a year between wins, but Cameron Thompson says the six-year-old has trained on and expects him to be extremely competitive.
"I can't fault Needarein's work since the win and if anything, he is even more full of himself than he was before winning last start," Thompson said.
"He has really taken to equestrian work as part of his training regime that has been good mentally and physically for the horse.
"While there doesn't appear to be any real speed in Sunday's race, I believe he is versatile enough to race more forward from his inside barrier (2) and, if need be, he could lead."
In-form apprentice Chelsea Baker rode Needarein last start, and she stays with him on Sunday claiming two kilograms, which gets Needarein into the race carrying only 53.5kg.
Thompson will saddle up Sparkling One in the Tasmanian Horse Transport BM60 over 1150m and from a perfect barrier (5) she should be able to go forward and find a good spot.
"Sparkling One was very good last start when second in a similar race three weeks ago and her trackwork has been great, so I'm expecting her to be hard to beat."
His former good two and three-year-old Coeur De Lion resumes from a spell in the Vale John Perkins Class 3 Handicap (1150m), taking a trial win in Devonport on Tuesday into the race.
He wasn't far off the good ones in three-year-old events last season and while he meets a strong line-up, the gelding looks to have come back better than ever.
"This is a very strong race on Sunday, so I would be happy if he can finish in the top four, but he is feeling well and if Vetlanda and Jaguar Stone aren't on their game he could cause an upset."
Vetlanda was scratched at the barrier two weeks ago forcing trainer Barry Campbell to send her to the trials last week and she blitzed her rivals over 800m, leading throughout to score by over four lengths.
Adam Trinder's Tasmanian Magic Millions 2YO winner from last season, Jaguar Stone, also is engaged and if she takes her trial form into the race, she will be hard to beat.
Iskra was a victim of circumstances at her most recent outing when taken on in the lead and pestered to the home turn, but with no real speed in the Thai Imperial BM60 (1350m) the seven-year-old mare looks well placed to run a race at odds.
