Mythical Spirit's winter campaign will be on the line when she resumes from a let-up at Sandown.Geelong trainer John Smerdon has a question mark on the five-year-old mare's ability on heavy ground which she gets in Wednesday's The Cove Hotel Hcp (1000m).Her worst run in 12 starts was on a heavy track at Sandown in May last year but since joining Smerdon's stable this campaign she has begun to realise her potential as a city galloper.Mythical Spirit's two wins and two placings in five runs for Sm

Mythical Spirit's winter campaign will be on the line when she resumes from a let-up at Sandown.

Geelong trainer John Smerdon has a question mark on the five-year-old mare's ability on heavy ground which she gets in Wednesday's The Cove Hotel Hcp (1000m).

Her worst run in 12 starts was on a heavy track at Sandown in May last year but since joining Smerdon's stable this campaign she has begun to realise her potential as a city galloper.

Mythical Spirit's two wins and two placings in five runs for Smerdon have been promising and she was freshened after her last-start lacklustre performance at Caulfield after posting a Moonee Valley win and finishing second at Caulfield.

"She's been a good pick-up and it will be interesting to see how she handles the heavy track at Sandown," Smerdon said.

"I don't know how she really goes on that ground because all her trackwork is on the synthetic at Geelong, but if she handles it she should run well."

Smerdon said Mythical Spirit's last run was out of character and he attributed it to the length of her preparation.

"She was in work a long time before she ran first-up for me so we have given her a bit of a freshen up with nine weeks since her last run," Smerdon said.

"Hopefully that's done the job."

Smerdon said Mythical Spirit had a reputation for being a bad barrier horse but since transferring to his stables had mended her ways.

He said that while her recent form had been against mares he was confident she could test the boys on Wednesday if she gets through the mud.

Former Perth apprentice Damien Lane will make her job easier with 54.5kg after his two-kilogram claim.

"He (Lane) looks like he's going to be a fair kid and it is not an overly-strong race on form," Smerdon said.

Mythical Spirit races in the same colours as Coniston Gem who was a Group Three winner for Smerdon four years ago.

"We will see how she (Mythical Spirit) gets through tomorrow but she will probably go back to mares races after this," Smerdon said.