Having just commenced his second season of jumping, Out And Dreaming will be chasing a third win at Warrnambool, the home of jumps racing.
Out And Dreaming scored his maiden hurdle victory at Warrnambool’s Three-Day Carnival last year and followed up with another victory the following month.
The only time Out And Dreaming has finished out of the money in a hurdle race was in the Kevin Lafferty Hurdle last July when the heavy 10 conditions were against.
“If it had a been a flat meeting, they would not have raced,” trainer Andrew Noblet said.
“The holes at the takes offs were filling with water and he just couldn’t get any traction.”
Already this season, Out And Dreaming has graduated to the better jumps races, finishing second at Pakenham on April 18.
On Wednesday he returns to Warrnambool to run in the Galleywood Hurdle (3200m), 12 months to the day since his maiden jumps’ success.
Noblet could not be happier with the way Out And Dreaming has been racing this campaign and said the five-year-old would derive benefit from his first hurdle start this campaign.
“He messed up the second last hurdle which he lost a length and he got beaten a head,” Noblet said.
“If he jumps that cleanly, I reckon he goes close.
“He’s going better this time around than last year and he’s been successful at Warrnambool.
“He’s taken that next step, which he’s got to.”
Out And Dreaming ran second to Saunter Boy at Pakenham on April 18 and actually meets that jumper worse at the weights on Wednesday.
Saunter Boy and Out And Dreaming dominate early betting on the Galleywood with TAB.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Saunter Boy is the $2.60 favourite ahead of Out And Dreaming at $3.40 with St Arnicca ($8.50) the only other runner under double figures.