THE finale of the world's greatest racing carnival will be at Betfair Park, Sandown, on Saturday, November 14, with the running of the group2 $351,000 weight-for-age TMB Printing Sandown Classic and the group 2 $351,000 Sandown Guineas.

This year features the 122nd Sandown Classic, formerly called the Sandown Cup, and, with the original title of the Williamstown Cup, it carries a unique history.

First run in 1888, it was, as the name would suggest, held at the now defunct Williamstown Racecourse.

The event has also been staged at Caulfield, Flemington, Moonee Valley and, of course, Sandown.

In 1999, the race underwent a total change from a handicap to weight-for-age and the name changed from the Sandown Cup to the Sandown Classic.

Along with the Sandown Classic there is a strong supporting program next Saturday, headed by the Sandown Guineas.

But this week, attention is firmly focused on Flemington with tomorrow's group1 $5,650,000 Emirates Melbourne Cup.

It is often thought that when you are less than two weeks away from turning 82, there is little more that one can achieve. But please don't tell that to Bart Cummings.

Arguably the greatest trainer to have graced the Australian turf, he has set records that may never be eclipsed - and tomorrow he can add yet another achievement to his resume as he aims to complete the hat-trick of Melbourne's three spring features, which are also the three most important open-age events in the Southern Hemisphere.

He already has the BMW Caulfield Cup, courtesy of Viewed, and added the Cox Plate with So You Think.

Now he only needs the Melbourne Cup and it would be a brave person to suggest that he won't complete this unique treble.

It is the sixth time in his 56 years of training that Cummings has won two of the big three, but he is yet to complete the hat-trick.

The last time it was done was 17 years ago by Lee Freedman who swept the 1992 carnival with Mannerism (Caulfield Cup), Super Impose (Cox Plate) and Subzero (Melbourne Cup).