Garry Lunn is already planning a midweek city trip for Careering Away ahead of the gelding's chance to notch up another win at Wellington Race Club on Monday.
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Careering Away is expected to be a hot favourite in Monday's Over The Line Racing Benchmark 66 Handicap, a rare 2400m event in the western area.
Coming off a strong win in a 2200m event at Dubbo last time out, the Lunn-trained Careering Away was handed a 60.5kg top weight for Monday but that will be offset by the 2kg claim of apprentice jockey Ronald Simpson.
Simpson was in the saddle last time out at Dubbo, where Careering Away beat a number of the horses he'll be up against again on Monday.
"He ran fourth in the Orange Cup, that was a qualifier for the Big Dance, city and provincial class, no way his opposition could have done that," Lunn told Racing NSW ahead of the Wellington meeting.
"I'm just grateful there were enough noms to put a staying race on.
"That's the problem for me trying to place him. At the weights they can't beat him, he's just so genuine and honest, he'll keep grinding away and they won't get past him."
The seven-year-old veteran will make his 73rd start on Monday.
There might have only been nine wins scored in that time but the gelding is a consistent performer and he's enjoyed some of his best form in recent times, with a win and three placings coming in the past five starts.
With races over 2000m often hard to come by in the western area, Lunn - fresh from a win at Carinda on Saturday - is already planning a city trip with his in-form veteran.
"After this I'm going to have a look for a mid-week staying race at Warwick Farm or Canterbury, with his benchmark, he'll get in light, and he'll be competitive I'll tell you - especially if the track is rain affected," he said.
Seven races will be run at Wellington on Monday and the track was rated a Soft 6 on Sunday morning.
The day's final event, Buy Your Kosciuszko Tickets Mountain and Rivers Handicap (1400m), shapes as one of the best of the day.
Proven country performers Wild Rocket, Jailbreak and A Magic Zariz, all with a benchmark rating of 88, headline the field and all are chasing a return to winning ways.
A former Country Championships finalist for Narromine trainer Kylie Kennedy, Wild Rocket has had two starts at Warwick Farm this preparation and placed in one of those.
Jailbreak is yet to win in nine starts for Bathurst trainer Gayna Williams after previously being a star for Kody Nestor while nine-year-old veteran A Magic Zariz will be third-up from a spell for Dubbo's Brett Robb on Monday.
Major challenger to the three top weights will be the Clint Lundholm-trained pair of Notabadidea and Ferus.
Winner of multiple country cups last preparation, Notabadidea will return from a spell on Monday as he starts his build-up for the Forbes Cup while Ferus is in top form and has two wins and two placings in his past five starts.
Racing starts at 12.30pm on Monday.
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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.
