3 minute read
Lightly raced galloper Urban Explorer will appreciate the longer journey and should be hard to hold out in today's Orion Expedition Cruise Handicap (race 7) at Caulfield.
The talented stayer, prepared by Jim Conlon at Mornington, is backing up after finishing second on the Lakeside track last week and in the same RB78 grade today should be hard to stop over the longer 2430m journey.
Last campaign, the gelding resumed with a 1400m win then ran fourth and fifth at his next two when beaten only a couple of lengths before returning to winning form over 2060m at Cranbourne, where he sat off the pace but proved too strong.
Up to 2200m at Seymour, he struck a small field and after sitting back second last rounded up his rivals quickly and ran away with a 3.5 length win.
The gelding sat out the summer and most of the autumn before resuming over a mile at Kilmore in a BM72, where he had a big weight but proved too classy, coming home for a narrow win.
Straight to town over 2000m in this grade at Flmeington, he drifted well back but was strung up in traffic approaching the home turn.
Switching around heels and angling vey wide on the bend, he gave away a start but wound up strongly, coming home well for fourth behind Zaamore.
Last start, which was last Wednesday over 2100m at Sandown Lakeside, he struck a heavy track and sat third behind the leader.
He lacked a bit of dash when the speed went on in the straight, but he wound up strongly the further they went and knuckled strongly over the final stages to finish runner up behind Get Out Of Town.
Today he has drawn wide but looks ideally suited at the longer journey and will appreciate the slightly firmer footing.
Glen Boss sticks with him and he looks hard to hold out again, especially if he can be winding him up at the top of the straight.
The Kathryn Durden trained Wells is racing in excellent form and can make it three straight with another win here.
The lightly raced son of Galileo ran well fresh over an unsuitable 1400m at Warrnambool then placed over a mile at Hamilton.
He relished the longer journey when returning to Warrnambool for a 2000m Class 1 and was too good there with a big weight, then won again in a showcase RB68 at Bendigo latest over 2400m.
There he settled midfield in the big field but again ran on well and proved too strong.
This is a much tougher assignment but he drops 2.5kg on the win, is suited at the journey and has drawn ideally for leading rider Steve Arnold.
The soft ground poses no problem and he is worth sticking with while racing in such good form.
The Des McCarthy trained Luckycent was a massive winner last time and the form does tie in with Urban Explorer.
Luckycent cleared out to win at Mornington last start by seven lengths after sitting just off the lead, defeating Get Out Of Town who then beat Urban Explorer at Sandown last week.
Luckycent tends to mix his form which is a concern but drops in weight on his seven length win last time and if he runs up to that he is a genuine threat in this tougher race today.
Countcool is also back up after running at Sandown last week when sixth behind Get Out Of Town.
He is fitter for the four runs from a spell and has the inside gate.
Luke Nolen returns from Ascot for the mount and the Mick Kent trained gelding should be ready to show up.