Godolphin's Etymology takes the strongest credentials into the VRC St Leger but trainer Pat Carey is hoping for an upset.

Carey saddles up three runners in Monday's 2800m-race for three-year-olds at Flemington including Galilee Series Final minor placegetter Meru.

Meru is at $17 while stablemates Wintonia and Laser Sight are outsiders, with the John O'Shea-trained Etymology the $2.15 favourite.

O'Shea has sent Etymology south for the St Leger after a Sydney campaign which included a fifth in the Australian Derby (2400m).

In the spring Etymology was second to Tarzino in the Victoria Derby at Flemington and Carey admitted on ratings that colt would have a margin on his rivals.

But Carey believes Meru, and her stablemates, will run the distance and if there are chinks in the armour of market leaders Etymology and Cool Chap, they can take advantage.

"I think they are the two horses to beat and I think we're competitive with the rest," Carey said.

The Lee and Anthony Freedman-trained Cool Chap was second to Charlevoix in the Galilee Final with Meru another 1-3/4 lengths away.

"Without the winner of that race being there on Monday, it gives Meru some sort of chance," Carey said.

"It looks like she'll stay a mile-and-a-half very easily and she's certainly bred to."

Carey said Meru, still a maiden, is the most improved of his three.

"Wintonia beat her over 2000 metres at Pakenham on the big track and she looks like she'll stay the trip, but she had an interupted preparation," he said.

He said Wintonia missed a planned start and had to race out of her class when last in the VOBIS Gold Heath (2000m).

Laser Sight, a High Chaparral half-brother to Carey's 2011 Group One BMW winner Cedarberg, is a maiden from six starts and finished among the tailenders in the Galilee Final.

"He'll run better than his price," Carey said.

"He's 100-1 but he's not a 100-1 shot in my head. He's an improving sort of horse."

O'Shea said while Etymology doesn't have a great winning strike rate, he has done well in Melbourne.

"He's a genuine mile and a half horse and he drops significantly in weight and grade," he said.