Ray Hickson
Itโs easy to make a case for a horse that gets back in its races to say theyโre building into their preparation but trainer Mitch Beer says a horse like Mafia is a different case.
The front-running gelding has his third run from a break in the Kia Northern Region Dealer Of The Year Handicap (1250m) at Kensington today and Beer saw enough in his latest run to say heโs on target to fire.
Mafia comes back in class after contesting two Benchmark 78 races, running fourth after leading at Canterbury three weeks ago, and Beer said the combination of fitness and placement can work in his favour now.
โItโs hard with those horses that are one dimensional, that jump and go forward and they blow out and you think โthatโs disappointingโ,โณโฃ Beer said.
โYou can gallop him and jump him out until youโre blue in the face but he takes those runs to get back to match day fitness.
โHeโs a big burly horse, he took a two or three runs for him to hit his best for us last preparation.
โI thought in his last run he just felt the pinch 50m-100m from home so heโll be spot on.
โHe gets back to that 72 grade, if he takes a length improvement fitness wise and a length improvement from going back in grade thatโs probably enough to have him winning.โ
The five-year-old was a winner at Canterbury back in November in similar grade to what he meets at Kensington.
Beer, who co-trains with George Carpenter, has plans to test Mafiaโs distance limits in the near future and does expect it wonโt take too long to find winning form again.
โI think heโs coming in at a perfect time of year,โณโฃ he said.
โWe were really keen to get him to 1400m this preparation, thereโs a Midway 1400m in 10 days.
โHeโs a talented horse but heโs probably that good solid Wednesday, Friday night to Midway horse.
โLast preparation he was beaten by a smart one, Oui Oui Oui, in a Midway and backed up a week later and I thought it was a really good run in Saturday grade.โ
Best Bets: Race 3 (10) Alphard
Race 4 (1) Oso Spirited
Best Value: Race 2 (10) Peace Bird.
Supplied by Racing NSW
