Playwright will be trying to put two consecutive wins together for the first time in four years in the Spotless Handicap at Flemington on Saturday.
A frustrating galloper, the seven-year-old broke a 13-race run of defeats last start when he landed the National Jockeys Trust Handicap (2000m) at Flemington, which is not only his home track but his favourite one.
Five of his seven wins have been at Flemington including his only consecutive start victories which he posted as a three-year-old during the 2008 autumn carnival.
He went another 20 starts without a win but was placed on eight occasions, four times at Group level including a close third in the 2008 Australian Guineas.
His debut win at Ballarat and his 2010 Benalla Cup victory are the only times he has won away from Flemington.
Trainer Steve Richards said Playwright seemed to reserve his best for Flemington and was especially effective over 2000 metres at the track.
“If they had a 2000-metre race at Flemington every fortnight or three weeks it would be ideal for him,” Richards said.
He said Playwright was disappointing last preparation but this campaign was racing with renewed zest.
“We couldn’t work out why he lost form last campaign,” Richards said.
“We thought he may have lost his will to win and if he didn’t fire up this time in we were going to retire him.”
The gelding has run consistently well at his past four runs giving Richards hope that this could turn out to be one of his best campaigns.
“He meets a similar sort of field to last time and he sits on the same weight with a three kilo claim for Ben Knobel now so he gets his chance again,” Richards said.
Despite his patchy record, Playwright’s prizemoney return has been almost 10 times the $75,000 he cost as a yearling with $545,000 coming from his 24 Flemington starts which include five wins and seven minor placings.
“He can be a bit of a heartbreaker but I wish I had more horses like him that have won so much money,” Richards said.
“He’s stood the test of time.”
