Developing three-year-old Confluence is likely to get an easier run than his last outing irrespective of where he draws in Saturday's Flemington assignment.
Confluence has finished second at all three runs this time in, including at his last outing where he did it tough before finishing 2 ¼ lengths from Shamport in the $150,000 VOBIS Gold Ingot (1400m) at Caulfield.
Confluence was stuck three-wide and fighting into a strong headwind for most of the race but managed to pinch a break before Shamport over-ran him in the Caulfield straight.
The forecast is for calmer conditions than those that eventually forced the postponement of the last five races s at the July 29 Caulfield meeting and the son of Denman is one of 20 entries for the Super VOBIS 3YO BM70 Handicap (1400m).
Co-trainer Simon Zahra said Confluence had the required talent to break through for a city win but it was a matter of whether the colt was coming to the end of his preparation.
"He's going well and he's had three runs for three seconds but we just hope he can hang on for another run," Zahra, who trains Confluence in partnership with Mathew Ellerton, said.
"He's been up a while but it looks like a nice race for him.
"He's pretty smart this horse but it is only his second preparation but we're hoping he can just hold his form.
"He just needs to draw a decent barrier where he can get a bit of cover and he'll be hard to beat."
The powerful Darren Weir stable prepared Confluence's last-start conqueror Shamport and will provide another serious rival on Saturday with Peruggia, the winner of his last two starts, among the nominations for the $120,000 race.
Peruggia is one of four last-start winners among the nominations along with the Lindsay Park-trained pair French Skyline and Regal Embrace while Lee and Anthony Freedman have entered the Geelong maiden winner Sky Punch.
