(Andrew Bensley is a leading commentator with Sky Racing and Sky Sports Radio.)

Bearing the illustrious title of the weight-for-age championship of Australia, this year's WS Cox Plate at Moonee Valley has more than maintained the standard.

Helmet faces his biggest career test taking on the older and more experienced horses but he also only has to carry 49.5 kilograms.

The Darley team has been over the moon with Helmet since the Caulfield Guineas and, while they kept the horse away from Breakfast with the Best earlier this week, Helmet had an easy gallop at Moonee Valley last Thursday week.

Helmet worked sharply on Tuesday morning and Kerrin McEvoy is keen to ride at the light weight.

I reckon, though, there's a couple of horses that have been forgotten in the Cox Plate discussions.

Glass Harmonium has had a near perfect campaign and his gallops with Damien Oliver aboard at the Valley over the past fortnight have been strong.

Trainer Mike Moroney said the grey horse got on edge before galloping at Breakfast with the Best but he stretched out impressively in the straight.

Glass Harmonium extended an injury-free December Draw in the Turnbull Stakes and that form should have the former European galloper right in the finish.

The other key is a favourable draw that will allow Oliver to box seat.

The other horse I think can get into the money is Secret Admirer, the Epsom Handicap winner.

The Sydney visitor had two gallops around the Valley track and both have been sparkling.

Jockey Brenton Avdulla, who knows the mare so well, and her trainer Grahame Begg continue to report that Secret Admirer has had no problem adjusting to the Melbourne direction.

As we saw in the Epsom, Secret Admirer can reel off such a strong late sectional that if there's any chink in the armour of the front runners, she'll be storming home late.

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THERE is more to the Schweppes Stakes than Black Caviar's attempt to extend her unbeaten sequence to 15.

The race provides the platform for the third occasion in the past 20 years when two Australian Racehorse of the Year winners have met in a race.

This time, it is current champ, Black Caviar, meeting former title holder, Scenic Blast, in the 1200-metre Group Two.

Black Caviar, of course, is a raging hot favourite but it is good to see Scenic Blast back in Australia and he did work well for jockey Steve Arnold on Tuesday morning at the Valley.

Previous clashes of Australian Horse of the Year winners were Mahogany (4th) and Jeune (7th) in the 1996 C.F. Orr Stakes and the sensational clash of Better Loosen Up and Let's Elope in the 1992 Cox Plate.

That was a roughhouse affair when Let's Elope finished second to Super Impose but was relegated to fifth on protest from Better Loosen Up which was elevated to fourth.

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TRAINER Robert Smerdon was rapt with the way Moonee Valley Cup contender Shewan worked on Tuesday.

Smerdon decided to gallop the Herbert Power winner at the Valley and said the five-year-old also was sharper than a normal gallop at his home base at Caulfield.

Formlines through the Herbert Power held up strongly in the Geelong Cup, with Tanby and Bauer both performing strongly.

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AND finally, in harness racing the first Group One of the season will be run at Albion Park on Saturday night.

In the Queensland Pacing Championship, Smoken Up will attempt to make it successive wins in the Sunshine State.

Trainer-driver Lance Justice told me Smoken Up is a lot sharper going into Saturday night following his Gold Coast Cup win last weekend.