Robbie Griffiths will enjoy his first day at the races in nearly 11 weeks when his stable saddles up four runners at the Sandown meeting on Wednesday.Griffiths contracted salmonella in Bali last July but didn't know what the ailment was until he was hospitalised on December 23 and had surgery immediately.The poisoning localised in a breast, was eating away at him and and he had to have a rib removed.After leaving hospital he was on an intravenous drip at home for six weeks and was well enough to

Robbie Griffiths will enjoy his first day at the races in nearly 11 weeks when his stable saddles up four runners at the Sandown meeting on Wednesday.

Griffiths contracted salmonella in Bali last July but didn't know what the ailment was until he was hospitalised on December 23 and had surgery immediately.

The poisoning localised in a breast, was eating away at him and and he had to have a rib removed.

After leaving hospital he was on an intravenous drip at home for six weeks and was well enough to attend the Melbourne yearling sales last week.

"I'm still on antibiotics and the doctor says I have to stay on them for 12 months," Griffiths said.

One of Griffiths' runners, Gogonski, will be ridden by Nick Hall in the Sportingbet 0-72 Handicap.

The Gonski three-year-old, a winner at three of his 13 starts from 1213m to 1600m, is jumping up to 1800m for the first time this year.

"We thought he would get over ground as a younger horse and we tried him over 1800 metres in the spring (when seventh to Proliferate in the Listed Myer Spring Fashion Stakes at Flemington on Oaks Day)," the Cranbourne trainer said.

"He didn't quite get the distance so we freshened him up and put him back to the off-season races up to 1400 metres.

"But then he started to show he was looking for further again so we tried him over the mile (1600m) and he has been really good. He's been running really well.

"Nicholas Hall thinks we should try him over the 1800 metres, which we are doing tomorrow, and see how we go."

Hall has won two races on the gelding, a 0-62 Hcp (1500m) at Bendigo last October, and a 0-72 three-year-old handicap (1600m) at Sandown two starts back on February 8.

Last start Gogonski battled on well for a close-up third to Shanghai Warrior and Rock Hit over 1600m at Sandown on February 22.

"I think it will be either black or white, either he gets the trip and he's a great chance or he doesn't," Griffiths said.

Gogonski is at $13 with TAB Sportsbet which has the Peter Moody-trained Vatuvei and the Peter Snowden-trained Kukri equal favourites at $5, just shading the topweight Toned at $5.50.