The Western Front eyes Banjo Paterson Final victory

The 2600-metre event will be the 10th start of a campaign that began with a fourth placing in a benchmark 70 over 1600m at Flemington all the way back on January 10.

The five-year-old has won four races since, including the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m), and while co-trainer Ben Hayes is surprised the campaign has gone on this long, he is happy with the way he is holding together and said there is more to be achieved in 2026.

"When you get them fit you keep them happy and in a rhythm and these days, with technology, trainers are able to keep horses up for longer," he said.

"It's good for them, they enjoy being in work. Some don't, so you put them in the paddock.

"He's a horse we'd like to get his rating up a bit more to target maybe the back-end of spring with him.

"He could bob up over Cup Week running in one of those staying races."

Hayes was not referring to the biggest race of all – the $10m Melbourne Cup (3200m) – with the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) on Champions Day a more likely target this year.

The Western Front is coming off a second placing to Vegas Jack at Flemington on June 20, when he endured a tough run from the outside barrier, and Hayes is confident he can turn the tables with more luck in running.

"He probably had the hardest run in the race," Hayes, who trains in partnership with brother Will and JD, said of the 1-1/4-length defeat.

"He had no luck at all. He was wide the whole trip, had to work in the middle stages, hit the front early and just got run over late.

"But he's come through the run well."

The Western Front, who will be ridden by Daniel Stackhouse, meets Vegas Jack 1.5kg better for the last-start defeat and will jump from barrier six with Vegas Jack drawn nine.

The Western Front is $4.20 favourite and Vegas Jack at $7 with the pair split by mudlark Wuddzz, who is at $5.