Host Of The Party will look to take a clean sweep of the Darwin Triple Crown when he lines up in the $200,000 Carlton Mid Darwin Cup (2000m) today.

Victorian stayer Hawks Bay will have to break his own modern day weight-carrying record to win his second successive $200,000 Darwin Cup at Fannie Bay on August 5.

Local galloper Constant Force can bring up a winning hat trick in today's tough City Of Warrnambool Handicap (race 8).

Emerging chaser Phaze Action heads the betting for the $100,000 Brierly Steeplechase on the opening day of the huge Warrnambool Carnival on Tuesday.

Victorian three-year-old Backbone could jump straight out of a Mornington win on Sunday into next Saturday's $1.5 million Australian Derby at Randwick.