De Little Engine can cap an already successful summer campaign with his first stakes win in the Bagot Handicap at Flemington.
The Danny O’Brien-trained four-year-old has stepped up at his past three starts in benchmark races, earning himself likely favouritism for Thursday’s 2800m off season staying feature.
De Little Engine
By Encosta De Lago out of VRC Oaks winner Arapaho Miss, De Little Engine’s three straight wins have come at Bendigo, Sandown and Flemington.
But the Listed Bagot Handicap is the race connections have been aiming at and O’Brien can’t fault the improving stayer.
“Obviously he’s had a really solid preparation for this race and it has been his target for a fair while now,” O’Brien said.
“He hasn’t put a foot wrong in the lead-up so we’re going in there with plenty of confidence that he’ll run very well.”
De Little Engine has been strong at the end of his most recent races and he steps up in trip in the New Year’s day event.
His only previous start at the distance was in the VRC St Leger last season when he finished fifth.
“I don’t think the distance will be any problem for him,” O’Brien said.
“He ran the 2500 metres right out the other day.”
James Winks, who partnered the gelding to victory last start, retains the ride.
O’Brien says he and De Little Engine’s owners will assess future staying options for the gelding after Thursday’s race but the Bagot will be his final start of the campaign.
The Bagot is one of two stakes races on the Flemington card, the other being the Group Three Standish Handicap (1200m).
O’Brien will start Decircles in the straight-track sprint hoping he can improve on two unplaced runs this campaign.
“He ran third in the Standish a year ago and he’ll have another crack at it,” O’Brien said.
The $150,000 Bagot has 18 nominations including last year’s runner-up Hurdy Gurdy Man who has topweight of 60kg, the same weight he carried to finish 2-1/4 lengths behind Outback Joe a year ago.
Ballarat Cup winner Mujadale has 59kg, last-start Werribee Listed winner Cadillac Mountain is nominated and has 56kg while De Little Engine has 54.5kg.
