What a weekend of sport coming up with the AFL grand final replay and the NRL grand final, but what about the racing action on Saturday and Sunday?

I know there's been plenty of discussion about the transfer of the Turnbull Stakes meeting to Sunday but I don't think the VRC and Racing Victoria officials had any option.

The footy final will dominate Melbourne on Saturday but the racing switch will surely make Flemington the focus on Sunday.

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The first of the international invasion this spring hits the turf on Sunday at Flemington.

Macau-trained Good Control tackles the Gilgai Stakes and trainer Patrick Lee could not be happier with the horse's condition.

Lee told me Good Control enjoyed his jump out at Caulfield on Tuesday and has been getting better and better each day.

The unknown with the Macau horses is whether their form matches up to the Australian standard. Good Control ran in Dubai in March and has since won three races at 1200-metres, the distance of the Gilgai Stakes.

Good Control will have to be exceptional to beat Hay List on Sunday. Trainer John McNair added the Gilgai to Hay List's spring campaign when the owners decided against taking him to Perth or Hong Kong.

Since winning at Moonee Valley last Friday night, Hay List has been confined to wading through the water off the Bellarine Peninsula.

McNair's only concern is running up the Flemington straight for the first time but Hay List has coped with everything else this spring.

When you're watching Flemington races on Sunday, you'll see a brand new set of barriers. I know it sounds pretty boring but the barriers span a massive 26 metres allowing 25 horses to move in to one barrier span. It will allow more flexibility with the rail movements at Flemington.

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Now to the Epsom Handicap and while many may say it's not the strongest Group One race over the famous Randwick mile trip it won't be easy to win.

Mathew Cahill is one of many jockeys wasting heavily to ride the minimum weight of 52 kilos in the Epsom but Cahill feels the effort will be worth it. He rides Corowa-trained Leica Larrikin, who is $26 with TAB Fixed Odds.

Cahill told me on Sky Sports Radio, he hasn't ridden below 54kgs for two years but he'll be strong of mind and body for the Epsom test. In recent days, Cahill has been seen running around the streets shedding that last bit.

As for the horse, Cahill says Leica Larrikin really appreciates his races spaced and punters shouldn't be worried he hasn't raced for a month.

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The two-year-olds hit the track for the first time at Randwick on Saturday and there's an interesting runner from New Zealand in the NSW Breeders Plate.

Alvesta won on debut by six lengths on a heavy track at Wanganui and while trainer Peter McKay says Alvesta appears to be smart, he's a bit unsure how the form will translate to Australian race conditions. He's a $4 second favourite in TAB Fixed Odds. The long term plan is to win enough prize money for Alvesta to contest the Magic Millions 2YO race in January at the Gold Coast.

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Finally, just a reminder that Sky Racing's Racing Retro will start at 8.30am from this Sunday until November 7. With so much superb spring carnival action, it'll give Ron Dufficy, Richard Freedman and Alf Matthews plenty of time with special guests to summarise all the racing highlights.