Robbie Laing, who has a quarter of the field in Saturday's Andrew Ramsden Stakes at Flemington with five runners, is looking to tough mare Joontoo Gemini to give him his third win in the 3200-metre feature.Four of Laing's five runners in the 20-horse field plus three emergencies are jumpers, but with jumping under suspension pending Monday's Racing Victoria Limited board decision on whether the sport continues in the state, he had to look for another alternative for them."It's a matter of all dr

Robbie Laing, who has a quarter of the field in Saturday's Andrew Ramsden Stakes at Flemington with five runners, is looking to tough mare Joontoo Gemini to give him his third win in the 3200-metre feature.

Four of Laing's five runners in the 20-horse field plus three emergencies are jumpers, but with jumping under suspension pending Monday's Racing Victoria Limited board decision on whether the sport continues in the state, he had to look for another alternative for them.

"It's a matter of all dressed up with nowhere to go," Laing said.

Grand Annual Steeplechase hero Sir Pentire goes into the race second-up after not having raced for two years due to a tendon injury and is coming back 2300m after his win over 5500m and 33 fences at Warrnambool last Thursday week.

"It's a little bit hard to tell how he's come through it because he's as mad as a snake," Laing said.

"We had him tied up over at the track on Tuesday morning prior to him working and he was rearing in his stall, pawing and kicking and we had to put him in a special stall.

"We're running him mainly due to his great record beyond 1400m at Flemington and Christine Reeves, who used to ride over the jumps and rides him in most of his trackwork, came in and said 'he could win this race on Saturday the way he felt'."

Aaron Spiteri will ride Sir Pentire ($51) who was backed from as much as $51 with TAB Sportsbet in the Grand Annual before starting at $17.

Now a nine-year-old, Sir Pentire won the 2003 VRC St Leger (2800) at Flemington, a race stablemate Pantani was runner-up to Grey Song in 2002.

Pantani went on to win the 2004 Duke Of Norfolk Stakes and the following year won the race again when it had a name change to the Ramsden Stakes.

Vindicating ($12) will again be ridden by Dean Yendall who rode him when he led and finished third to Ladies In Luck over 2800m at Flemington last Saturday, while Jade Da Rose rides Vengo ($201) and Stephen Baster will be aboard another outsider Daneland ($201).

"Vengo has already had two starts over hurdles, he's very fit now and I was looking to run him over ground," Laing said.

"We bought Vindicating for hurdles and he's been over 30 or 40 and was ready to qualify but he's racing okay on the flat.

"Joontoo Gemini is not in that category. She's looking for some black type prior to going to stud.

"She's very fit and the two miles should suit her, she's a very tough competitor."

The Deputy Governor six-year-old ($21) ran third to $2.60 Ramsden favourite Hissing Sid in the Listed Warrnambool Cup (2350m) last Thursday week and will again be handled by apprentice Dean Holland.