Back Yourself!
Sign-up and start betting with Ladbrokes in 2 minutes!
Back A Winner with Neds!
Sign-up and start betting with Neds in 2 minutes!
Daily Racing Specials!
Sign-up and bet with Australia's best new bookmaker!
#1 Ranked New Bookie
Sign-up and bet with Australia's #1 ranked new bookmaker!
Best Of The Best Odds!
Bet With Palmerbet and get Paid Top Fluc or Top Tote!
Massive Odds on All Races!
Sign-up and start betting with PlayUp in 2 minutes!
Imagine what you could be buying instead.
Set a deposit limit.
Search
 

The Cleaner has already put the town of Longford and trainer Mick Burles on the map.

A Cox Plate win would put the horse alongside some of the sporting greats of Tasmania.

Names like Ricky Ponting, Darrel Baldock and Melbourne Cup winner Piping Lane are sporting icons of the Apple Isle and Burles believes his horse can become a legend if successful at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

“I hope he would be on top of them,” Burles said.

“Ponts is a good bloke, the `Doc was one of the best footballers ever, Piping Lane a brilliant horse.

“There’s plenty there that he’d have to climb over, but I’ll be happy with whatever he does.”

The Cleaner arrived in Melbourne on Friday morning following a ferry ride across Bass Strait, a trip The Cleaner has done before every start in Melbourne under Burles’ care.

The knockabout trainer said the travel had never worried The Cleaner.

It was a more comfortable trip on Thursday night compared to the seven-metre seas on the crossing before The Cleaner’s latest victory in the JRA Cup on September 26.

It will be more than four weeks since The Cleaner last raced but Burles is not worried and believes the gelding goes into his first Group One at the top of his form.

“He had five days off when he came home from the JRA Cup then we started slow working him,” Burles said.

“He’s had three gallops, two good ones and one sharp one to finish with.

“His last gallop on Wednesday was a little too good.

“There were trainers in the stand saying that has never happened here before, he ran his last 400 metres in 21.7 (seconds).

“He’s a stayer, not a sprinter.”

While the Cox Plate is regarded as Australia’s weight-for-age championship, Burles is treating it as just another race.

But he admits it took him a long time to acknowledge the fact that he has a runner in the Cox Plate.

The Cleaner cemented a berth in the race with victory in the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes on September 6, the first time jockey Steven Arnold, a Cox Plate-winning jockey, partnered the gelding.

Burles says he is proud to have a contender but is having difficulty working out the form of the overseas competitors.

But Burles said the gelding was ready to run the race of his life with his biggest worry being keeping the horse in one piece.

“He’s a lovely horse and has always been sound but when you’re a bloke like me and have come from nowhere, something is bound to go wrong,” he said.

“Luckily nothing has.”

 
*Existing customers only. 2nd Racing bet. Excl SA & WA. T’s & C’s apply. Gamble responsibly.
Imagine what you could be buying instead.
Set a deposit limit.
Featured News

FREE BETS – Claim $1000’s in Bonus Bets at the TOP Betting Sites

We take a look at the BIGGEST and BEST Free Daily Racing Offers and Betting Promotions from Australia’s leading online...

Golden Slipper Likely Field – 2024

The biggest two-year-old race of the year will jump this Saturday in arguably one of the best fields in recent...

Former trainer handed a five-year ban for pulling stewards pants down

Former trainer Todd Balfour has been handed a five-year disqualification by Racing SA stewards after a misconduct incident at the...

Melbourne Cup champion Verry Elleegant passes away

Verry Elleegant, one of the great mares in the history of Australian racing, has died while giving birth to her...

Watch 📺 Jockey banned from all racing premises over ride

Jockey Dylan Kitts has been penalised with a disciplinary officer exclusion directive due to non-compliance with an inquiry regarding his...

Group 1 winner returns positive swab

Racing Victoria stewards are investigating a positive swab from Group 1-winning mare Prowess, the racehorse trained by Roger James and...

Alligator Blood injured, career in doubt

Cult galloper Alligator Blood may have run his last race, with trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott confirming the star galloper had...

Nikita Beriman returns to the saddle

July 1, 2023 to January 26, 2024 … that period represents the just shy of seven months that Nikita Beriman...

Australia's Best Betting Sites

New Betting Sites Australia + Top List Bookmaker Apps $$$

Betting in Australia has never been more popular thanks to a large increase in new betting Agencies and Apps available...

Top 10 – Funniest Race Horse Names

Horse racing. Known as the ‘Sport Of Kings’, an industry worth billions, a very serious business…but to some, it’s a...

Best Horse Betting Sites in Australia

Best Horse Racing Betting Apps and Betting Sites – March 2024

We take a look at the best online betting apps to bet on horse racing in Australia for the month...

Golden Slipper

The Golden Slipper is one of the biggest and most prestigious horse races in Australia. Taking place each April at...

Australian Bookmaker Reviews – Online Bookie Ratings $$

Which bookmaker should you bet with? We Review each of the leading online Australian Bookmakers and rate them in order...

 
 
Imagine what you could be buying instead.
For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au