A high of 40C is expected in Melbourne on Wednesday, with the Caulfield meeting to start at midday and the last race to be run at 4pm.

Racing Victoria (RV) had already brought start times for Wangaratta's meeting on Tuesday forward.

Racing at Wangaratta will start at 11am, with the last event to be run at 2.45pm in an attempt to avoid the forecast peak temperature of42C at 4pm.

The temperature at Wangaratta was monitored on Monday and the decision was made to proceed with Tuesday's meeting from the amended start time.

"The safety and welfare of equine and human participants is of paramount concern to Racing Victoria in assessing whether a race meeting should proceed in hot weather conditions," RV's racing operations manager Paul Bloodworth said.

RV will review the status of meeting for the rest of the week, with hot weather expected for the next four days.

Stewards will monitor the weather conditions and the welfare of jockeys and horses at the meetings.

There is an option to call the gallops meetings off if needed.

The state government has issued a heat health alert ahead of a week in which temperatures are expected to top 40C in many parts of Victoria on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. - AAP