KURT Lew will be aiming for his second win in less than a week on Curls Toby when the gelding lines up in the Radio 2DU Pace (2120m) at Dubbo Paceway tonight.
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The five-year-old resumed from a spell with an all-the-way win over 1720m at the same track last Saturday, and while tonight's race is a little stronger Lew believes the Greg Pay-trained gelding can go back-to-back.
"He did a good job last week because he'd only had one or two trials before that race," Lew said.
"They went a bit harder early than I thought they would and poured a bit of pressure on him but he responded well.
"His splits don't look that flash but it was pretty windy and nothing really ran much time, and with it being his first run back you'd have to think he has taken improvement from that."
Curls Toby is drawn to lead again tonight, starting from gate one, but Lew anticipates he will have a few foes also looking to find the front.
"There's a few in there with a bit of early pace but hopefully we'll be able to hold the lead," Lew said.
"If they want to go mad then I'd let them go because he's not a horse that has to lead but the ideal plan would be to lead and get an easy quarter, because if he can get a breather then he can sprint and run you a pretty quick last 400m."
Lew will also drive Aces For Annie for his father Mick Lew tonight, with the filly to start from gate three in the Dubbo RSL Motel Ladyship Pace (1720m).
Still a maiden after four starts, the three-year-old heads into tonight's event on the back of a last-start fourth placing at Parkes on October 25.
"She probably doesn't have the pace to lead but I'll want to be up close to the lead with her, hopefully with cover," Lew said.
"She fell over in the paddock the other day and we had to back off her for a few days but she's going alright again now.
"I'm not sure if the three is a good draw for her but if she can get a good run through the race I think she'll be there somewhere at the end."
The Lew family's stable star Mister Jogalong is also nearing a return to the track, and is being aimed at a race on Bathurst's Carnival of Cups program on Boxing Night.
The three-year-old is unbeaten in two starts, including a dominant performance at Cowra's Carnival of Cups program back in August.
