The Cleaner will wear his tried and tested path to the races again this weekend when he heads to Flemington to contest the $150,000 Listed Winter Championship Final (1600m).
Scheduled to depart Tasmania on Thursday evening Trainer Mick Burles was buoyant when discussing the recent Moonee Valley winner’s travels. “Everything is spot on at the moment,” Burles said. “We leave on the boat about seven o’clock and then get there about six o’clock in the morning as normal. That’s what he always does, so I am not changing anything.”
Already a multiple Listed race winner, the Winter Championship has been Burles’s main aim with The Cleaner this preparation and victory in the $150,000 race, would ensure the gelding a shot at Group races in Melbourne in the spring.
“I’d be looking at weight-for-age races probably,” Burles said. “I don’t think he’s a Group One horse but I think he could win a Group Two or Group Three, hopefully.”
An outside draw in barrier 16 for regular rider Anthony Darmanin and the top weight impost of 60kg hold little concern for Burles, “The last time he won at Flemington (in June last year) he won out of barrier 14. He comes out of 12 on Saturday.”
One thing that all can be assured of, is that with even luck, this Tasmanian treasure will be prove awfully difficult to get past as the field run to the line up the famous Flemington straight.
The Cleaner will race on Saturday at Flemington in race 6 scheduled to start at 3:35pm.