Anthony Cummings has reassessed his training approach with the lightly raced Baller and he is already noticing a difference.
Baller has won two of his four starts but was beaten both times he stepped up to 1400 metres at his initial campaign over the late spring and summer.
Cummings had decided to keep him to short-course trips this time around, starting with the Spark Of Life Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
“I will keep him to 1200 metres or thereabouts, I’m not going to stretch him to 1400 metres this prep, or past that,” Cummings said.
“But over this sort of trip, plainly, he’s quite dynamic.”
Baller is by noted sire of stayers High Chaparral but his mother Fuwa’s only win was over 900m.
The colt had a short break in the paddock after he finished runner-up over 1400m at Rosehill in December.
Cummings said the horse still had good residual fitness and with the benefit of a recent barrier trial was forward and ready to run well from a midfield draw.
He is a $6.50 chance in an open betting race, with the Chris Waller-trained So Taken the $5 favourite after putting a run on the board when she resumed with a win at Warwick Farm last month.
