On Saturday night the huge horse float carrying the four international stayers from Sandown races will journey along Dandenong Road heading for the Werribee quarantine station for the last time this spring.
It will be a float ride with mixed emotions running through the heads of staff looking after these strong stayers.
Of course, if successful in the Zipping Classic or the Sandown Cup, the trip for some will be a joyful journey through the suburbs.
More than six weeks ago the first of two large shipments of Caulfield, Melbourne Cup and Cox Plate hopefuls touched down at Tullamarine airport.
There was little fuss made of their arrival; the Bulldogs were gaining the upper hand over the Swans in the grand final and carving out some significant AFL history – a few stayers from overseas travelling the back streets of Melbourne is hardly a distraction to the emotional outpouring at the MCG.
But the staff assigned to these superbly fit athletes from Europe were not really fussed, a warm bed was the priority.
Few of us are aware of the time-consuming work that goes into landing these horse in Australia.
It starts months before when eager owners and trainers from all parts of the world are briefed on what it takes for their horses to be trained in Australia.
The logistics, endless paperwork and acclimatising are just some of the hurdles that Racing Victoria's international scout Leigh Jordon articulates to anyone pondering a trip that carries a cost of more than $100,000.
When the decision to travel is made horses must enter quarantine two weeks before departure. Once in the Newmarket station life will change immeasurably for the next two months.
They cannot race while in the centre. They must be worked late in the afternoon, leaving a four-hour gap between the previous local horse to work on the track.
Track riders, strappers and jockeys must shower after they have finished tending the horses at the Newmarket complex.
After quarantine period all horses board a flight for Australia. It leaves from Heathrow and makes stops in Amsterdam and Singapore. It's a gruelling flight for horses and staff. It takes 30 hours and those involved are understandably exhausted.
On arrival at Werribee another two weeks is spent in quarantine. This means a horse coming to Australia will not compete in a race for at least a month.
On the world prizemoney circuit it's a high price to pay.
But the staff with these horses are devoted to their charges. No expense is spared by the trainers who stay in constant touch from their bases in Europe.
While some elect to bring their own feed to Australia, everyone involved knows the vital role the staff play; they must paint the picture to anxious owners about the condition of their horses.
The first five days are critical; drinking eating and letting down is crucial, some thrive, some are not bothered and others struggle with the new surroundings.
They have come from autumn into a Victorian end of winter and as they are unloaded the sudden shivers from these stayers is a telling sign that double rugs will be the order of the day.
Big Orange, the brave English stayer who has been to Australia before, is the flagship runner of the internationals at Sandown.
While some staff pine for a home-cooked meal or an end to the occasional bout of homesickness, the international voyage continues to attract new players each year, all willing to roll the dice no matter how difficult the road to Werribee can be.