Shea Eden believes Flyingconi has improved since he gave the trainer his first Flemington win earlier this month and he’s looking for a similar result on Saturday.
The Bianconi four-year-old, who has won three of his seven starts, broke through in town with his neck victory over Lonhreign in a rating 78 over 1400m at headquarters on January 2 and meets a slightly tougher line-up in the Flying Doctor Plate (1400m), a rating 89 event.
“He’s come on really well. I’m happy with him and excited to be heading back to Flemington with him tomorrow,” Eden said.
“I believe the horse has a little bit left in the tank. We haven’t seen the best of him yet.”
Flyingconi will again be ridden by Craig Newitt who has ridden him at his three starts this preparation for two wins.
Eden said the gelding was easy to ride and would be able to take advantage of the good draw of barrier four in the 11-horse field after the scratching of Josimar.
The trainer is after his third metropolitan win on Saturday having won with Princess Fontaine at Sandown in September last year.
Flyingconi is second pick in the betting at $3.80 with TAB Sportsbet behind Smokin’ Joey ($3 fav).
The Anthony Freedman stable is confident Smokin’ Joey can win a second race at his 15th start, having not won since his debut in the Listed Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield as a two-year-old.
“He’s been a very difficult horse to train and we’ve wanted to geld him for quite a while but the owner didn’t want to,” Lee Freedman said of the Encosta De Lago four-year-old.
“He’s had three runs as a gelding and has run well in each for two seconds and a fourth but in a lot of his previous races he didn’t try.
“He’s come back well since a setback last spring when he suffered a torn hamstring and is well placed in this grade down near the limit.”
Smokin’ Joey, a brother to Group Two St George Stakes winner Our Smoking Joe, resumed with a pleasing second under 58.5kg to Pied A Terre in a rating 78 event over 1200m at Moonee Valley on December 31.
After being gelded he was runner-up to subsequent Group Three George Moore Stakes winner Adebisi over 1200m at Doomben on May 28 and fourth to Torio’s Quest in the Group Two Queensland Guineas (1600m) at Eagle Farm on June 11.
Ben Melham will ride Smokin’ Joey for the first time on Saturday.
AAP TURF
