After much uncertainty about jumps racing, Betfair Park will host some of Victoria's top jumps races over the next three months.

Saturday's meeting features the $101,500 Australian Hurdle and the $101,500 Australian Steeplechase.

This year marks the 128th running of the club's two premier jumping events, which are among the oldest events on the Victorian racing calendar.

The $102,000 J. J. Houlahan Hurdle will also be run.

Both events comprise part of the J. J. Houlahan Jumps Championship, named after Australia's greatest modern-day jumps trainer.

It covers Australia's 15 feature jumps races in Victoria and South Australia.

The late Jim Houlahan, an inductee of the Australian Racing Hall of Fame and a recipient of an AOM, won the Australian Hurdle a record eight times between 1980 and 2003,

including three in succession between 1994 and 1996. He also won the Australian Steeplechase twice.

Clyde trainer Robbie Laing has carved an impressive reputation as a jumps trainer, and is sure to be strongly represented at Sandown again.

In 2007 he won both the Australian Hurdle and the Australian Steeplechase.

Laing uses a type of interval training with Sir Pentire, which won at Warrnambool after a two-year break from racing, and Mazzacano. Free entertainment on Saturday will include Giant checkers, face painting and badge making.

Admission is $8 for adults, $5 concession and free for children under 18 accompanied by an adult.