STAR Tasmanian galloper The Cleaner will begin his latest campaign at Flemington in an open handicap over 1600 metres on Saturday week.
The Cleaner’s Longford-based trainer Mick Burles revealed details of the gelding’s immediate future after the five-year-old scored an impressive win in a trial over 700 metres at Longford yesterday.
“I wanted to give the horse a good hit-out in a trial because he will be running first-up at Flemington on Saturday week over a mile (1600m) and I couldn’t be more pleased with that he did today and how he pulled up after the trial,” Burles said.
“He has a terrific first-up record and the 1600 metres should be ideal at Flemington,” he said.
Burles also revealed the horse is to be transferred into the care of top Victorian trainer Robert Smerdon who will prepare the gelding from his Aquanita Stables for the remainder of his interstate campaign.
“The horse will run for me at Flemington and then he’ll be transferred into the care of Smerdon,” Burles said.
“We aren’t sure how many runs the horse will have over there. It will depend on how he performs.”
“He could be there for a couple of runs but if he does really well he might just stay there,” he said.
The Cleaner proved his worth interstate last season with a win at Sandown over 2100 metres that followed a second to another Tasmanian Banca Mo at MooneeValley.
He returned to Tasmania and after a break he won the Listed weight-for-age Kevin Sharkie Stakes first-up in Hobart over 1600 metres in January.
The Cleaner was then placed second to Hurdy Gurdy Man in the Group 3 Hobart Cup this year and ended his campaign with a midfield effort in the Launceston Cup at the end of February.