Mick Mulholland only has the one hope in at Wellington Jockey Club on Sunday but if the in-form trainer's current trend continues it's all he needs to make it a successful day.
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Mulholland, who trains at the Wellington track, has been racking up wins on a regular occasion for the best part of two years.
There's been plenty of major victories as well, with the $100,000 Dubbo Gold Cup, the Orange Gold Cup, and a number of open-company races all in the bag.
"I've had a good run for about a year-and-a-half," Mulholland said.
"Everything has just been ticking along. I try to work on getting a winner every six starts.
"So if it's not this week then it will be the Parkes Cup."
The goal is to have Dubbo Gold Cup winner Steamin' contest the Parkes feature but before that Universal Thief will go around at Wellington on Sunday.
And given his record and current goal, Mulholland is due a win.
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He missed out at Canterbury, Dubbo, and Muswellbrook in the past week but has still remained around the money.
Universal Thief is coming off a run at Muswellbrook seven days ago and flashed home on the extreme outside that day to finish second behind Wicked Willy.
He'll step up in distance on Sunday, going from 1400m to the 1600m Keirle's Pharmacy Benchmark 58 Handicap.
Previously trained by Bill Cerchi, Universal Thief has a win and three seconds in five starts for Mulholland but the trainer is still figuring out the six-year-old.
"Before he goes out I just want to see if he can run the mile," Mulholland said, a freshen up for a few weeks awaiting after Sunday.
"If not he'll go back to the 1400m. He might just be a 1300 or 1400m horse.
"I'm still finding my way and he's got a few niggles and it's about managing them. These older horses, they can all gallop but it's about managing them so they're feeling right."
Apprentice Kath Bell-Pitomac will take the ride on Sunday, her claim meaning Universal Thief will carry 57.5kg.
It's a drop from Muswellbrook and Mulholland thinks it could be vital given there's expected to be plenty of give in the track following the recent rain in the region.
"Thought it would be more handy with the weight off. You saw at Dubbo last week the heavier horses didn't quite finish off," Mulholland said.
Bell-Pitomac has ridden the gelding three times previously for a win and two seconds.
Some of the other main hopes in Sunday's field of 12 have drawn wide while Universal Thief will go from gate four.
Damien Lane's Thiswilldous, to be ridden by Greg Ryan, and the Gayna Williams-trained Western Parade will go from gates 11 and 12 respectively while one of the threats from the inside is Rodney Robb's Broo Boss.
To be ridden by Clayton Gallagher from box one, Broo Boss heads to Wellington having won three of his past four starts.
"He'll get back and hopefully get to the line and keep coming," Mulholland said of his hope.
"He definitely looks like he can get the mile but looks can be deceiving sometimes.
"We'll see if he can chime in and have a 500 or 600m run at them but he's a horse that needs a little luck."
The eight-race meeting at Wellington starts at 12.25pm on Sunday.
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Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
