Former top Alice Springs trainer Sheila Arnold is looking for a competitive effort from Stillme as she chases her first stakes success in the Group Three Standish Handicap at Flemington.Arnold who has trained the winners of six Alice Springs Cups and two Darwin Cups, relocated at the start of the year to Bendigo where she and her husband Keith maintain a boutique stable of four horses.Stillme, who joined the team in May, is yet to race for the stable but has recovered from a back ailment and shi

Former top Alice Springs trainer Sheila Arnold is looking for a competitive effort from Stillme as she chases her first stakes success in the Group Three Standish Handicap at Flemington.

Arnold who has trained the winners of six Alice Springs Cups and two Darwin Cups, relocated at the start of the year to Bendigo where she and her husband Keith maintain a boutique stable of four horses.

Stillme, who joined the team in May, is yet to race for the stable but has recovered from a back ailment and shin splint and is ready to resume in Saturday's 1200m straight race feature on Friday.

"He is going nicely and he won't disgrace himself," Arnold said.

Formerly trained by David Jolly in South Australia and a winner of five of his 15 starts, Stillme is a Group One performer but hasn't raced since August last year.

Arnold had hoped to run him last July but after he easily won a Bendigo barrier trial he developed a splint which needed rest.

She said that while he hadn't been to the public trials this campaign he had performed well in a jump-out.

However she fears that most runners will still have a fitness edge on Stillme and concedes that it will be a big test for the gelding to win after such a long break.

"I think he will be competitive but it is a bit of a pipe dream thinking he will win," Arnold said.

"It would be my biggest win and one of my biggest surprises if he can do it as a lot of those horses he's up against are race hard and they will have advantage."

Arnold has only had handful of runners since moving to Bendigo and but is happy to poke around the bush with her team.

Her only Victorian winner was nine months ago when Sarlat won at Corowa.

However Stillme has the credentials to be a headline horse for Arnold if she can keep him sound.

Interference cost him a more prominent placing than sixth to Niconero in the 2008 Group One Futurity Stakes (1600m) at Caulfield.

Arnold was hoping that her son Steven would be available to ride Stillme in the Standish but he is committed to last start Danny O'Brien-trained Flemington winner Keano.

Only 15 horses were nominated on Monday for the Standish, including Saturday's Christmas Stakes winner Here De Angels.

Luke Oliver-trained Royal Ida, who was scratched from the Christmas Stakes, is also among the entries and will be ridden by Damien Oliver.

Stablemate Scenic Scene is also among the other higher rated nominations along with Itsamonty, Bangerang Quikpic, Beltrois, and Juggle The Books.

Lee Freedman has entered both Let Loushe and Master Of Design.

Luke Oliver is trying to win the Listed Bagot handicap (2800m) for the second year in a row with Good Red. He also plans to run Elmore in the time-honoured New Year's day feature which dates back to 1884.

Bryce Stanaway-trained Bold Bard (2002-03) was the last dual Bagot Handicap winner and this year Stanaway will run Prince Vitality.