Bendigo trainer Shane Fliedner is using one of the feature support races on Bendigo Cup day as a launching pad for smart sprinter Hi Stranger.
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Fliedner would like to take the four-year-old to Queensland in January for a Magic Millions race, but that plan hinges on how the gelding performs over the next two months.
After an impressive winter campaign in Melbourne, Hi Stranger resumes in the BRB Electrical BM78 Handicap (1100m).
Hi Stranger won on a heavy track at Caulfield last campaign before being placed at Listed level on a slow track over 1200m.
"On a good track the 1100m might be a bit short for him,'' Fliedner said.
"The heavier tracks helped him last time on the shorter courses. I'm just a little bit worried that carrying 61.5kg on a good track that he might not be in striking distance.
"The horse is ready to go first-up from a break and he'll acquit himself pretty well.
"It's a very tidy race. There's some very good form in it."
That very good form includes the promising Overkill, which is trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.
The four-year-old son of Fastnet Rock has won three of his four career starts.
Fliedner has some Saturday city races in mind for Hi Stranger before a potential trip to the Gold Coast for the Magic Millions.
"If he can win a couple of races prior to Christmas we might go to Queensland with him,'' Fliedner said.
"He'd have to pay his way though. We'll see how he goes at his next few runs.
"He's beena good horse to us, so we want to look after him."
Fliedner also has Surin Beach running on his home track on Wednesday in the TAC Be Races Ready 3YO Benchmark 64 Handicap (1300m).
The three-year-old broke his maiden in fine style at Swan Hill two starts ago before struggling on the tighter track at Kilmore last start.
"It was a non-event run (at Kilmore), but we had to go there otherwise it would have been a month between runs,'' Fliedner said.
"This race is another tidy race, they all are at this time of the year. Probably the best we could hope for is for him to run a place.
"He's an immature horse, and he's got his maiden out of the road, but he's probably a horse that's going to get better as he gets older."
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