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Lord Wimble will appreciate the drop back in grade as he steps out in the Koroit Community Raceday Benchmark 72 Handicap (1700m) at Warrnambool today.
Photo by Racing and Sports
The Bill & Symon Wilde-trained gelding has been racing well at the midweeks in recent times, coming into this on the back of a last start fourth at Sandown over 1500m.
He rises 200m in trip today where he has had the one start for a third placing and although is well up in the weights he will be aided by a 3kg claim by apprentice jockey Harry Coffey, who has been in handy form of late at the provincials.
Lord Wimble sits near the top on weight adjusted Timeform ratings in this field and has very good form on slow-heavy tracks so the wet track should not hinder his chances of grabbing his second win this preparation.
The son of Bianconi has not finished worse than fifth in his last seven starts and he comes back to his hometrack where he has a very good record of two wins and a placing from four starts.
Oforawesome also finds himself back in grade coming out of the same race as Lord Wimble where he finished fifth. With the 4kg claim he will meet Lord Wimble slightly better at the weights and definitely looks a strong chance in this.
Jockey Jordan Childs has only collected the one career win and looks a genuine chance to double that tally here.
Fine Calibre also rates a mention in this field after a good effort for this at Donald last start. Trained on course he has a good record at the trip but has failed to win a race in 316 days and meeting some good gallopers back in grade is cause for concern.
He usually gets back in running and from the inside draw could find himself in an awkward spot but will be getting home strongly.
Chaparral Lass looks the best of the rest but is unlikely to challenge the top couple of chances having not won a race in 548 days.
It clearly looks a race in two between Lord Wimble and Oforawesome and it could come down to which apprentice jockey holds his nerve the best.
Would not be surprised to see the pair fighting it out down the straight but Lord Wimble appears to be overdue for a win and should be able to get the better of Oforawesome on his home track.