Matt Cumani has already won with two of the three European horses he pinpointed to help him hit the ground running in his training career in Australia.
The other steps out at Flemington on Saturday for the first time as Cumani, son of prominent UK-based trainer Luca Cumani, looks to build on his promising start.
Cumani has had three winners from his 13 starters after setting up at Ballarat.
Six-year-old War Story, who has had a name change from Ayaar, will try to continue the run in the Carbine Club Handicap.
Cumani chases a second city win after Show A Star’s Caulfield success last Saturday.
“He’s a horse that’s very close to my heart,” Cumani said.
“And him, along with Critical Risk and Our Covenant, were the horses I bought over here to make a name for myself.
“They were ones I’m pinning my hopes on. So I hope I’ve got it right, and I hope he runs well on Saturday.”
War Story is now owned by Geoff Grimish of Shellscrape and Red Tracer fame as well as Cumani’s father Luca.
“He’s a horse that a friend of mine and I actually bought three years ago for a client of my father’s,” Cumani said.
“I’ve always loved him. And his form was good in the UK, just a little bit inconsistent.”
A winner of the Spring Cup at Newbury early last year when trained by Luca Cumani, the horse was raced by Al Shaqab Racing before being sold at an English horses-in-training sale in November.
“When I heard he was going to the sales I was quite keen to try to buy him for out here,” Cumani said.
