Six Of Wands happened to take six starts to break his maiden but his return as a four-year-old has seen him on the cusp or three-in-a-row when he lines up at Ipswich on Thursday.
Now it is all about trying to keep him in grades to help notch more victories and the Gordon’s Gin Benchmark 58 Handicap (1350m) can be the race to do it in.
“She’s racing in good form but the gate has made things a bit tricky,” trainer Matt Hoysted said of barrier 10.
“She’s got good gate speed and the 1350m at Ipswich is a beautiful start as she has the whole back straight to work across.
Earning a Racing and Sports rating 63 last start in a gritty win over the same course and distance, the gelding by Zousain was allotted 62.5-kilos here but will take two off with apprentice Fiona Sandkuhl’s claim.
“It will all depend on how much work he’s made to do early but it is nice progressional race and he does get in well enough with Fiona’s claim,” Hoysted added.
“He’s coping with his racing at the moment well and being able to stay in this grade before we go to higher competition.”
Six Of Wands firmed slightly into $9.50 for the event with the former Victorian-trained and now with Tony Gollan, Land Bank also firming into $1.90 with online bookies on Wednesday.
The pair are the only runners under double figure quotes in the field of 15 plus emergencies.
