The Caulfield Spring Racing Carnival was a top-class opening chapter for the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.

Fifty days of champagne racing culminates in the group 2 $351,000 TMB Printing Sandown Classic at Betfair Park Sandown's Hillside track on Saturday, November 14.

As the Melbourne Racing Club bookends the carnival with horses from around Australasia and the world competing for about $41 million in prizemoney, Sandown is again playing a pivotal role as home for the international contingent.

The quarantine stations at Sandown have been a hive of activity. Two batches of international visitors have flown in in from the northern hemisphere with a total of 10 raiders.

The two that contested the BMW Caulfield Cup proved disappointing and the early arrival, Jolie Shinju, from Singapore has not, as yet, measured up.

Godolphin's Crime Scene faded to finish sixth in last Wednesday's Geelong Cup and Luca Cumani's Basaltico ran on from last to finish seventh and looks better suited by more ground.

At the weekend, Moonee Valley took its turn with the running of the Cox Plate. The attention turns to Flemington this week. This Saturday is considered by racing purists as the finest day of racing on the Australasian calendar and one of the major international days.

The program features four group 1s, two group 2s and three at group 3 level and it is certainly the one not to miss. It's a perfect opening to the most important racing and social week of the year.

The main event is the 155th running of the group 1 $1,510,000 AAMI Victoria Derby. The exciting Shamoline Warrior will take a power of beating.

The Mark Kavanagh-trained colt has raced only six times for three wins and a second and is improving with every start. It has been a difficult spring for Kavanagh with Maldivian suffering injury and subsequently being retired, but he has bounced back with Whobegotyou.

Things look even better heading to Flemington with Shamoline Warrior, a half brother to last year's Victoria Derby winner, Rebel Raider.

He could not have been more impressive, winning the AAMI Norman Robinson Stakes at Caulfield on October 17.

Other chances are Onemorenomore, Southern Skye, Monaco Consul, Extra Zero and Gathering. The Spring Racing Carnival concludes on November 14 with the group 2 $351,000 TMB Printing Sandown Classic (2400m) on Betfair Park Sandown's Hillside track.