Damian Lane knew who he was riding at Moonee Valley this Saturday before Wednesday's release of fields, but he still couldn't help but get excited once he saw them in print.
The in-demand jockey has key rides in all four Black Type races, along with a number of support events, on the Cox Plate Preview Day card.
After missing last week's Memsie Stakes meeting through suspension, Lane can't wait to get amongst it and hopes it can be a springboard to even bigger wins later in spring.
"I've got a great book of rides Saturday and here's hoping they can run to their form and run well," he said.
"A lot of my rides have been going well leading into this week, so hopefully they can run as well as what their previous runs suggest and they can go onto better things from here."
Lane rides Kiwi star Bonneval in the day's banner event, the Group 2 Dato' Tan Chin Nam Stakes, and slick mare Heatherly in the meeting's other Group 2 race, the McEwen Stakes.
But it is his ride in one of the Listed races that many are most excited about seeing. The 23-year-old reunites with Darren Weir's Japanese recruit Brave Smash in the $120,000 Strathmore Community Bendigo Bank Stakes (1200m).
Lane rode the five-year-old at his Australian debut, in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes at Caulfield on August 19, when held up until early in the straight before charging home to be beaten a long neck.
The winner of that race was Vega Magic, who last week strolled home in the Memsie Stakes.
It's an inescapable formline, hence he is CrownBet's shortest-priced favourite of the day at $1.60, but Lane is not getting ahead of himself, despite being satisfied with gate eight in the field of 13.
"It is horse racing, anything can happen out there and you can never be too confident, that's for sure," he said.
"But I'm confident he'll run well. I think he's drawn the right gate, so hopefully everything comes together on the day.
"Hopefully I can keep him out of trouble and he can reproduce what he did first-up."
WATCH: Brave Smash's first-up run
Lane is convinced Brave Smash will be better for the first-up outing and does not anticipate the unique Moonee Valley circuit will hold any fears.
"Class horses seem to adapt themselves to anywhere, so I think he'll be fine," he said.
Bonneval is another Lane mount having its first start at the Valley and while Lane is not as bullish about her chances this weekend, he is happy to get the call up to ride her.
The $250,000 Dato' (1600m) will be her first start since her 4.5-length ATC Oaks romp, which followed victory in the G1 New Zealand Oaks, and Lane expects her class to carry her a long way.
"She's a mare with a lot of ability," he said. "It wasn't only her run in the Oaks here, but the runs prior in New Zealand were sensational.
"I worked her Tuesday morning at the Valley and I think she'll probably need every bit of the 1600. She's going to be better over further obviously, but she's a good one to be throwing your leg over early in spring."
In contrast to Bonneval and Brave Smash, Heatherly is a Moonee Valley specialist and occupies the $5.50 third line in betting on the $200,000 McEwen Stakes (1000m).
She finished second to Missrock first-up after playing up at the start and although her last-start conqueror is again a rival this week, along with Magic Millions winner Houtzen ($2.40) and G1 Galaxy winner Russian Revolution ($3.50), Lane is expecting a better showing second-up.
"She'll be a lot better for that run," he said. "She always improves fitness-wise from a first-up run and I think, hopefully, drawing three of seven we're not going to be in the barriers too long.
"She's generally better with a bit of freshness out of her, one run normally brings her back to earth a little bit, so hopefully that's the case on Saturday.
"Hopefully she steps well and she can run them into the ground."
Lane's other Black Type ride on Saturday is classy filly Limestone, who is the $5.50 second elect in the $120,000 Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m).
He will partner Raw Impulse in the $120,000 Craig Opie Cup (1600m) with that import's stablemates, Ebediyin (Race 3) and Killarney Kid (Race 4), his other Valley rides.