Smerdon, who has had a strong start to the season, gives racegoers their first look at some of his potential spring stars.

All but one of his 11 runners are female, with Electric Fusion the only exception.

Shamal Wind headlines the Caulfield/Ballarat stable's line-up in a group 3 $150,000 Sportingbet Sprint Series Stakes heat, 1200m.

The five-year-old is a classy mare.

She has raced against the country's best sprinters and will appreciate coming against her own sex second-up from a spell.

Shamal Wind finished fourth in the listed $120,000 Carlyon Stakes, 1000m, and is sure to strip fitter in this outing in which a win would take her earnings past $500,000.

Smerdon also has Politeness engaged in the same race.

Politeness is a lightly raced four-year-old, with three wins in 12 starts, and still has plenty of improvement in her.

She finished the autumn on a high, with a win in the group 3 $200,000 PJ Bell Stakes, 1200m, at Randwick.

Smerdon's other runners at Caulfield include Kaizen, Berning Desire and Breath of Life in the Inglis Ready2Race Sale Bonus, 1700m.

While the three-year-old event carries a basic stake of $80,000, it offers a $100,000 bonus for horses purchased at Inglis sales � a lure for the connections of Berning Desire.

Kaizen and Berning Desire are each nominated for the group 3 $750,00 Caulfield Classic 2000m, on October 18

Anatina is another mare from the Smerdon team heading into spring with impressive credentials.

The four-year-old more than proved her worth in the spring by taking out the listed $120,000 MSS Security Stakes, 1100m and then finishing second in the group 1 $400,000 Galaxy, 1100m, at Rosehill.

Smerdon is pleased with the preparation of Anatina, which goes well fresh.

His other runners include Crafty and Fonetein Ruby, which is chasing three wins on end, in the TMB Printing Handicap, 1400m, and Bloomingdale Miss and Members Joy in the Dalziel Racing Tile Importer Handicap, 1400m.

He is sitting fourth behind Darren Weir, Peter Moody and David Hayes-Tom Dabernig in the Victorian trainers' premiership and fourth in the Melbourne metropolitan title chase, which is led by Moody, Weir and Hayes-Dabernig.

BALLARAT STABLE FIRST STARTERS

TUSCAN PADDY (trained by Darren Weir) – 5yo making debut in maiden, 1300m, at Swan Hill on Sunday. Previously trained by Chris Davis at Benalla

TIGER TOO (Simon Morrish) – 5yo mare debuting in maiden, 1200m, at Kyneton on Tuesday.

BEST FROM BALLARAT

SHAMAL WIND (Robert Smerdon) - ready to fly second-up in the Sportingbet Sprint Series Heat 2 Stakes, 1200m, at Caulfield on Saturday.

TRUST IN A GUST  (Darren Weir) - great run last start when narrowly beaten after sitting wide throughout. Primed for the Le Pine Funerals Handicap, 1400m, at Caulfield on Saturday.

RAINBOW STORM (Darren Weir) – carries top weight of 60.5kg in Quambatook Cup, 1600m, at Swan Hill on Sunday. Tough weight to carry, but second in Tasmanian Derby early in the year and improving type which will be better for first-up second at Sandown Hillside.