Tracey Bartley is hoping the lessons learned during Sniper's Bullet first Melbourne foray will reap rewards in Saturday's Group One Emirates Stakes at Flemington.

The gelding finished ninth to All Silent in the 1600-metre showpiece last spring when he was ridden off the speed and made late ground.

Bartley will be instructing Michael Rodd to ride Sniper's Bullet more aggressively on Saturday and says his 2008 Stradbroke Handicap winner is in better shape than 12 months ago.

"No doubt. He's got to press forward though, he can't go back on him, not in an Emirates," Bartley said.

"His last 600 was the third best of the race (last year) and he ran ninth. You can't give them a start in this sort of race."

Sniper's Bullet went into the 2008 Emirates at his third run back from a spell.

This time around he has had three solid runs under his belt, including his dead-heat for third to Centennial Park over 1400 metres at Flemington last Saturday.

He carried 58kg in that and drops to 55kg in the Emirates and both Bartley and Rodd believe he is looking for the step up in trip.

"The other day I thought his run was good but I was a bit disappointed with his last 50 yards. I didn't think he finished it off like he should have, he didn't really attack the line," Bartley said.

"But he had 58 against the 53 the winner had and he was giving the second horse (McClintock) weight too.

"Michael Rodd was really happy with him though, he thought he sprinted really good and he said `bring on the mile, he just wants the mile that's all'.

"I was really happy with his comments and he's fantastic the horse, he looks super at the moment."

One of the other major changes Bartley has made this spring is to Sniper's Bullet's stabling environment.

Last year the six-year-old stayed at Caulfield but Bartley has opted for the quieter surrounds of Patrick Payne's property about 30km outside Melbourne to better replicate Sniper's Bullet's home at Mudgee in country NSW.

Now he is just hoping for a good draw on Thursday.

"It's going to be vital," he said.

"He's drawn terrific at his last two so, fingers crossed, it can keep going. I'd love to draw six, somewhere like that.

"We'd love to get him on the outside of one so we've got that option to come out on him. We don't think he lets down quite as good up inside them."

All being well after Saturday, Sniper's Bullet will again head across the country to Perth where he was placed in the Group One Railway and Kingston Town Stakes last year.