Ethiopia makes a low key return to racing at Sandown after his recent lay-off from injury.

The 2012 Australian Derby winner hasn't raced since finishing last in the Group Three Bart Cummings (2520m) at Flemington in October.

The seven-year-old will have a low key campaign start in the Bushnell Outdoor Products Handicap (1400m) on Wednesday.

Ethiopia holds nominations for the The Metropolitan, the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate, but Carey said there were no special plans for the gelding.

"We'll kick him off and see where we get to," Carey said.

"He may well be over the cusp, but we don't know at this stage because he's been so lightly raced, but his injuries have held him up.

"He's in clear water at the moment and is trouble free."

Ethipoia will be ridden by last season's champion apprentice Patrick Moloney in the benchmark 90 race with his claim reducing his handicap weight of 64kg to 62.5kg.

The gelding has won just one race from his 18 starts but did run fourth in the 2012 Cox Plate.

He returned in 2013 to finish seventh in the Melbourne Cup before a ligament injury put him on the sidelines for the 2014 spring carnival.