Tough stayer and standing-start specialist Gee Heza Sport shares the back mark of 30 metres in the $35,000 Marathon Handicap over the 3309m journey at Gloucester Park on Friday night, and this is not posing a great problem for star driver Deni Roberts.

"This looks a really good race for him; he loves the stand, and he'll love the trip, too," said Deni Roberts. "Last start he went a bit unders (when a fading sixth behind Mighty Ronaldo in the 2536m Winter Cup five weeks ago). We've freshened him up and his work this week has been very good." That defeat followed easy wins at his three previous starts.

Gee Heza Sport has won convincingly at his two appearances in stands in WA --- by six and a half lengths over 2631m at Pinjarra last October, and by four and a half lengths over 2503m at Gloucester Park the following month. He began from the 20m mark in both races.

He had 46 starts in New Zealand, of which 28 were in stands --- for four wins and four placings.

Gee Heza Sport is prepared by champion trainers Greg and Skye Bond, who have won the Marathon twice --- with frontmarker Himself, who was driven by Ryan Warwick when he beat Cooper in 2022, and with 30m co-backmarker Carana, who was driven by Roberts when he defeated the pacemaking Rock Artist by just over a length.

A year before Carana's victory, Roberts combined with the Bonds when Steel The Show began from 30m in the Marathon and finished second to frontmarker Youre So Fine.

Sharing the 30m mark on Friday night with Gee Heza Sport are Im The Black Flash (Stuart McDonald) and Brickies Dream (Robbie Williams), whose recent form has been excellent.

Im The Black Flash, trained by Gary Hall snr, began from the 60m mark in the 2503m BOTRA Cup four weeks ago when he raced in eighth and last position before sustaining a strong three and four-wide burst to finish fourth behind Maximum Rock.

Then, a fortnight later, Im The Black Flash ran on from eighth at the bell to finish fifth behind Mighty Ronaldo in a 1730 sprint event.

Williams has produced Brickies Dream in fine fettle for his current campaign which began with frontrunning wins at Gloucester Park in June followed by a second to Gee Heza Sport and a third behind Mighty Ronaldo.

Four-year-old Maximum Rock comes into this week's race with sound credentials, following his splendid frontrunning display two starts ago to win from Bluto and Dawson in the BOTRA Cup, a stand over 2503m.