Last Of The Line to rise says Stephen Miller

Trainer Stephen Miller is banking on a middle distance race to help his gelding Last Of The Line return to the winner’s list in Saturday’s Tabtouch Stakes at Ascot.

After four starts this preparation, Miller feels Last Of The Line will appreciate going over 2100m for the first time in his career and is prepared for the step up in distance.

“He’s been carrying big weights and probably not finishing off his races like he used to, but hopefully he is looking for this sort of distance,” Stephen Miller said on Tabradio.

“Brad Parnham has been saying he just needs to be further; they’re going a bit quick for him.

“This race is here and we’ll give him a try over the distance and see what we can come up with.”

Last Of The Line, a son of Blackfriars, has won seven races from 22 starts, producing his best performances in distances between 1400m and 1800m.

Last November he ran fifth in the G1 Railway Stakes (1600m) and two years back he claimed maiden black-type success in the Listed Detonator Stakes (1800m).

Last start in the Diggers Cup (1800m) he circled the small field from last and looked set to go on with it, but battled away for second behind Playing Marika.

Miller thought it was a race he could have won.

“I thought last start was a winnable race, he’s pretty good at 1800m,” Miller said.

“He loomed up like he was going to win it, but he probably didn’t go on with it like I thought he would.

“In saying that he was carrying a big weight and that might have been the difference.”

Last Of The Line has drawn barrier five in the six horse field, Brad Parnham retains the ride.

He currently shares $3.30 betr favouritism with Jadavi, firming from $3.40.

Jadavi has eased from $2.75.

Meanwhile, Miller says Black Spirit can overcome barrier nine and post a winning hatrick in the Tabtouch Westspeed Platinum Handicap (1400m).

“She’s drawn a little sticky, but has enough pace to get across and be in a forward position,” Miller said.

“She is a tryer and I expect her to run a good race.”

Black Spirt is $8.50 with Tabtouch.

She carries 57kg with the claim of Keshaw Dhurun.