One-time Caulfield Guineas favourite Chivalry makes his return at Sandown on Saturday in what jockey Damian Lane concedes is a tough race.

Lane, who rode his 500th career winner at Wednesday's Sandown Lakeside meeting, will be having his first ride aboard the Mark Kavanagh-trained colt in the William Hill Plate over 1300m on the Hillside track.

The jockey got his first feel of Chivalry in a jumpout at Flemington last Friday with the pair sitting wide and shading the opposition in the 800m hit-out.

Saturday's race has brought together a strong field including Stratum Star, Merion, the undefeated Hauraki, first-up winner Onerous and the consistent performer Profit Share with Chivalry currently on the fourth line of betting at $6.

Lane was impressed with Chivalry's jumpout but less so with his wide barrier draw.

He will jump from gate eight in a field reduced to nine runners following the early scratchings of So You Drink and Samartested.

"It was good to get a feel of him for this race," Lane said.

"It's a hot race with all the good ones coming back into work now and it's starting to really heat up."

Lane doesn't believe the 1300m trip will pose any problem for the son of Street Cry first-up, drawing confidence from the colt's fresh effort last campaign when he won the Group Three McNeill Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.

Chivalry went on to finish fifth in the Caulfield Guineas before filling the same position in The Vase at Moonee Valley in October prior to being spelled.

The colt has been nominated for the Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 7 and the Australian Cup (2000m) on March 14.