Lord Da Vinci (Image: Racing Photos)
Lord Da Vinci can kick-start another fruitful Melbourne winter for visiting trainer Scott Brunton when he runs first-up in the WT Partnership Handicap (1200m) at The Valley on Saturday.
While he concedes that the rising eight-year-old will have to produce a near-career-best performance to win with the top weight - the son of Lonhro will carry 60kg after Lachlan King's 3kg claim - the Tasmanian horseman has been thrilled with the way his galloper has come to hand this preparation.
The horse won an 800-metre trial at Hobart on May 18 and arrived in Melbourne on Wednesday morning with Brunton reporting that he was in superior condition to his corresponding first-up run in June 2017, when he raced on the speed and handed his rivals a one-length defeat in a similar 1200-metre race at The Valley.
"It was a really nice trial the other day, a lot softer than what we've been accustomed to with him so we're pretty happy heading into Saturday," Brunton said.
"We arrived this morning (Wednesday), he travelled over far better this time than he did last year and he still got the job done then.
"I couldn't be happier with the horse but I think he's harshly treated at the weights.
"He's never won a Listed race and he's being weighted like he's a weight-for-age horse."
Lord Da Vinci will likely be aimed at the Listed VRC/CRV Winter Championship Final (1600m) at Flemington in July and could be joined in Victoria over the coming months by several talented stablemates, including Hellova Street and Life On The Wire.
Brunton said nine-time Stakes winner Hellova Street was back in work at his Seven Mile Beach base and could make a cameo in the Listed Victorian Sprint Series Final (1200m) while Vamos Stakes (1400m) heroine Life On The Wire could also travel to Melbourne in July.