David Hayes has a good opinion of three-year-old Rifleman and will test him in stakes company at Caulfield on Saturday when he will shoot for a hat-trick of wins.
The colt, who has had only three starts, was fourth of five runners on debut in the Listed St Albans Stakes (1000m) won by Golden Archer at Moonee Valley in March last year.
He then spent almost 10 months on the sidelines before returning with a four-length win over subsequent easy Werribee winner It Is Written in a Ballarat 1000m three-year-old maiden.
Rifleman backed that up with a length win over Counter Sign in a Morphettville Parks 1000m three-year-old event, both victories coming last month.
“Rifleman has been racing very well,” Hayes said.
“I thought from the barrier (four) he was worth a chance of having a go at a better class race.”
Dwayne Dunn will ride Rifleman in the Listed Shadwell Stud Australasia Stakes (1200m) which was reduced to a 10-horse field after the scratching of stablemate Niconoise.
Hayes said Niconoise would head to Adelaide for Saturday’s Davo’s Buck Show Hcp (1100m), a rating 0-68 event, at Morphettville.
Rifleman is the second foal of the former brilliant Redoute’s Choice filly Opportunity who won the 2005 Listed Leslie Froggatt Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley before finishing fourth to Undoubtedly in that year’s Group One Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.
Knox, Rifleman’s older brother, has won three of four starts for trainer Paul Messara.
Rifleman is the $4.20 equal favourite with TAB Sportsbet for Saturday along with last year’s Golden Slipper runner-up Mosheen, ahead of Petman at $7 and Secret Hills at $8.
The Robert Smerdon-trained Mosheen hasn’t raced since her runaway nine-length victory in the Group One Victoria Oaks (2500m) last spring but goes well fresh.