Trainer Robert Smerdon will test his theory Reldas is a short-course horse when the five-year-old chases his first stakes win at Sandown.

Although Reldas has two wins over 1400 metres, Smerdon believes he is much better over the 1000 metres of Saturday's Listed City Of Greater Dandenong Stakes.

After kicking off his campaign with two wins over 955 and 1200m, Reldas was a last-start second to Malaguerra over 1400 at Flemington on the final day of the Melbourne Cup carnival.

Smerdon said he believed the 1400m was outside the optimum distance range of Reldas and he was also beaten by a promising horse.

"He was in a position to win last time but the last 100 metres I thought he was a bit plain," Smerdon said.

"I know he's won at 1400 metres before, but that was in a maiden and a restricted three-year-old race at Sandown.

"He drew well, had a good run and was exposed late and so you look at his record and say he runs 1400 metres.

"I don't think it's his most effective distance."

Smerdon said Reldas stayed in the stable after his last run and had spent time on the water walker at Caulfield.

"It is a fair drop back to 1000 metres but Sandown is a track where you can run on," Smerdon said.

"I think it will suit him."

Smerdon said Reldas had been kept up to the mark fitness-wise with a couple of gallops at Caulfield in recent weeks.

On Tuesday morning he worked on the steeple grass with Smerdon saying he ran home the final 400m in 23.5 seconds and pulled up well.

"It's a matter of whether he's fit enough after the freshen-up," Smerdon said.

Bookmakers believe he will be with Reldas at $5.50 in opening markets behind Wild Rain ($4.80) and Tuscan Sling ($5).

Dwayne Dunn replaces Chris Parnham on Reldas with the latter returning to Perth for the summer carnival.