A stepping stone for Highway Explorer

Already a winner twice over this track and trip the Australian import has looked decent to date.

After running a modest third to Mitraad on debut in July last year the Mossman colt was stepped out again in August and in receipt of 2kg from African Triumph he got run out of it late and was beaten half a length.

A couple of months off saw Highway Explorer return in November and he slammed the highly thought of and subsequent very easy winner Royal Line by three lengths.

A month later the Tony Rivalland-trained colt gave African Triumph 3kg and beat him by three parts of a length, showing how much he was improving.

The better going for some time now up the straight at Scottsville has tended to be on the inside so drawn in stall No 11 could make it difficult for Highway Explorer.

Kochka was a top class two-year-old but returns from a very lengthy rest. Trainer Alison Wright does not sent out unfit so it is possible that his class can carry him through and he would be giving away 5.50 kg and more if this was a handicap.

Split The Breeze won twice when under the care of trainer Luiz Cunha and was not disgraced on his stable debut for Charles Laird when fourth to Easy Lover at Greyville over 1600m. The trip could have been further than ideal for Split The Breeze and Anton Marcus is aboard.