Ballarat trainer Dan O’Sullivan expects Fine Evader to relish the step up to 2400 metres when he has his second start at the distance at Sandown.
Fine Evader runs in Wednesday’s Ladbrokes Handicap and it will be the six-year-old’s first attempt at 2400m since his three-year-old days.
At his sixth career start in his first preparation, Fine Evader finished seventh over the distance at Caulfield in July 2015.
It has taken another 20 starts for O’Sullivan to find a suitable 2400m-race to bring the gelding back to town.
Fine Evader is in career-best form, winning two of his past four starts, while finishing second on the other two occasions.
O’Sullivan said after Fine Evader won over 2200m at Ballarat last month he decided to target Wednesday’s race.
“Once he won his couple of (benchmark) 58s this was in the calendar and came on the radar,” O’Sullivan said.
O’Sullivan expects the 2400m to suit and thinks the benchmark 64 company, a grade he was placed in at Kyneton last time out, won’t be a problem.
“I sent him around at Kyneton the other day in a 2000-metre race as otherwise it would have three weeks between runs,” O’Sullivan said.
“He competed nicely in 64 grade so it helped prove to me that he was up to it.
“He’s an out-and-out stayer and his form says that.
“He never performs until he gets to 2000 metres and beyond and his form at 2000 metres is quite solid.
“He’s in good form, he’s sound and thriving at the moment and it looks quite a suitable race.
“These 64 races at this time of year are competitive races, but he fits the bill.”
Jamie Mott, successful on the gelding in his past two wins, gets back aboard on Wednesday after Ben Allen had the mount last start.
Fine Evader was rated a $14 chance on Tuesday with Michelin, placed in a similar race at Sandown two starts ago, the $5 favourite.
