Highland Beat (Image: Racing Photos)
Highland Beat has finished outside the top four in his past seven visits to the track, but that fact can't dent the confidence of his trainer David Hayes ahead of Saturday's Epworth Medical Imaging Handicap (1200m).
The Exceed And Excel colt's recent form has taken the polish off a career record that once read eight top-two finishes from 11 starts, and featured four Stakes placings and two city wins.
Heading into his 19th start - having been unplaced since his second-place finish to Defcon in the Group 3 McNeil Stakes in August - Highland Beat is somewhat of an unlikely equal-favourite to win the handicap for three-year-olds given his recent run.
However, Hayes is pretty confident he has found the right mix heading to the weekend, especially with premiership contender Craig Williams keen to retain the ride after a luckless recent run at The Valley on June 3, when beaten less than 2.5 lengths by Saturday's equal-favourite Katsuro.
"It was very frustrating [last start]. He drew 16 [jumped from 12 of 12], and got caught on the inside," Hayes said on Friday.
"Craig thought he should have won, and got held up badly. He pleaded to ride him again, so we're giving him another chance on him. A good rider like him, hopefully lightning won't strike twice.
"He's been actually working brilliantly for three weeks, and hasn't had a break. His form [at his past two runs] reads average, but if you watch his replays, they're both very good runs."
Hayes is using the Moonee Valley meeting as a stepping stone for both sprinter Ruettiger and perennial galloper Extra Zero, as they will both be aimed at the Flemington meeting in three weeks' time.
But Hayes said he still expects Ruettiger to sprint well second-up, especially with the gear change of blinkers off, winkers on.
"Month between runs, but we've piled the work in on the hills. [He] looks a bit tighter," Hayes said.
"He'll run a much, much better race, but I do feel up the straight on the eighth at Flemington he's set for. He's got a good record up the straight, so it'll be a little bonus if he could win at The Valley, but it'll bring him to his stop for the straight."
Hayes added he won't be reinvesting any of his winnings from the horse he not only trains but owns, Extra Zero, on Saturday, instead saving that for when the 10-year-old returns to Headquarters on July 8.
"He's really healthy, and really well. His record at The Valley is not as good as Flemington," the Hall of Fame trainer said.
"I personally had a nice win on him last start, and I'll be waiting for Flemington. I hope I'm cursing Saturday night. He'll run well, but he'll be better at Flemington in two weeks."