IMPORTS ON SHOW AT SANDOWN

Two of our imports are our runners on the Lakeside course at Sandown in Mr Marathon Man and Buffalo River.

A Listed winner over 1800m in France last year, Mr Marathon Man finished unplaced behind I Am Someone in the Listed Wangoom Handicap over 1200m before finishing fourth over 1400m at Flemington on May 18 after racing freely in second place to the home turn.

Mike Moroney has fitted the gelding with ear muffs for race eight, the Ladbrokes Back Yourself Handicap (1600m), with Damien Oliver to ride.

“He’s not been the easiest of horses to work with and we’ve put ear muffs on for the race today,” Moroney said.

“He was going to relax nicely enough at Flemington last start and then he got a bump and Damien said it fired him up and he over-raced from there so we’re trying the ear muffs to see if they can help him to relax.”

"We think a fair bit of him and want to get him through to the spring so that's why we don't mind spacing his races out at this stage.”

Buffalo River (pictured) is in the last race of the day, the Ladbrokes Multiverse Handicap (1400m), with Damien Oliver to ride.

The import led most of the way to score over 1400m at Ballarat on his Australian debut on May 22 and stays at the same trip.

"We knew he had some ability but he's not the most straightforward horse to train so we were guessing a little bit,” Moroney said.

"We thought if we gelded him it might get him to relax a bit but he still wants to get on with it.

"He's by Noble Mission who is a brother to Frankel and stayed a bit and I think this horse is going to get a mile-and-a-quarter later on.

"With the speed he has shown we thought we'd stay at the 1400 (metres) on Saturday. We're still learning about the horse so we’re happy to take things quietly for the time being.”