Emerging stayer Royal Mail will be looking to stretch his winning run and book his place in next month’s Mornington Cup when he contests the Cup Prelude at Caulfield.
A winner of five of his 14 starts, Royal Mail has been in career-best form since stretching out to 2000 metres and trainer Dean Howard is optimistic he can add to the impressive record on Saturday before the Mornington Cup (2400m) on February 15.
“The 2000 metres certainly seems to be his distance at the moment,” Howard said.
“There is probably a question mark whether he will get the mile and a half (2400m) at Mornington but I don’t think he will have too trouble with that.
“He is pretty adaptable.”
Royal Mail has won three of his past four starts and was just over a second outside Might And Power’s 2040-metre course record of 2.03.54 when he won at the Valley on December 9.
Since then the five-year-old’s rating has soared 20 points and he has won his past two starts over 2000 metres at Caulfield and Flemington.
He was particularly impressive at Flemington on January 21 when apprentice Jake Noonan took the initiative in a slowly run race and rushed forward to take up the running from the 1400 metres against the gelding’s normal racing pattern.
He was strong to the line beating Viking Hero by 1-3/4 lengths and according to Howard has trained on from the run.
“Obviously he has got to run a nice race on Saturday to warrant running in the Mornington Cup but he has been coming through his races very, very well,” Howard said.
The winner of the Mornington Cup is exempt from a ballot on the Caulfield Cup.
Dan Nikolic, who last rode Royal Mail when he carried 58kg and ran 2:04.73 for the 2040 metres at the Valley, is back on the five-year-old gelding on Saturday.
Royal Mail has only 54kg for what is his most serious test, six kilos less than topweight Rainbow Styling who is a Group winner who resumed with victory over 1800 metres at Caulfield last Thursday.
Ben Melham will ride Sea Galleon, who has been freshened since winning three races in a row, while stablemate Montgomery will be ridden by Glen Boss.
Craig Williams will be looking to revive the fortunes of The Big Steel, who has been consistent this campaign without winning.
AAP TURF
