Though at longer odds in the markets, James Cummings is hoping Gravina can replicate similar form turnarounds of the past when he lines up at Newcastle on Saturday.
The six-year-old lines up again in The Hunter (1300m) with the stable looking to go two places better than the third placing in the $1 million feature in 2022.
Gravina comes off finishing last in a field of nine in the Group 3 Rising Fast Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on November 4 where jockey Mark Zahra reported to stewards that the gelding had his tongue over the bit in the run.
Outside of that, stewards found no other abnormalities.
“He went pretty poorly, but we made a little gear change and he just got squeezed coming out of the barriers and failed to chase hard,” Cummings said.
“The thing in Gravina’s favour is he’s a horse who has turned his form around quickly in the past.”
“I expected more of the horse in the same race 12 months ago at Flemington and he disappointed me that day.”
“He turned it around and produced a big effort for third in The Hunter at his next start.”
Gravina was a $9 chance in that Flemington event and goes to Newcastle as a $23 chance in The Hunter.
“He can prove to be a yo-yo horse and hopefully he can do that for us second- up this weekend,” Cummings added.
“He did train well during the week. He looks well and is training great.”
Gravina is yet to win at the Newcastle track but two placings in three outings there hold some hope that he can break through despite being a longer odds hope.
“He did come off a sustained campaign last time in work, so we’re hoping to see him get back into form down in the weights.”
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Mazu maintains favouritism for The Hunter at $4.40 with online bookmakers.
