O'Prey trained This Skilled Cat in career best form ahead of Wangaratta test

This Skilled Cat qualified for the $250,000 final held at Moonee Valley last year after running fourth in the heat of the corresponding race at Wangaratta.

The six-year-old gelding finished near the tail of the field in the lucrative final won by Fontein Diamond.

However, This Skilled Cat is racing in career best form this preparation and is coming off a gutsy win where he lumped 62kg to victory at Bendigo.

O'Prey said drawing barrier one would give This Skilled Cat an edge over his rivals in the big field of 14 runners.

"I think it's fair to say the horse is going into this race as good as ever," O'Prey said.

"We targeted this race last year and he made the final but unfortunately it poured rain on the day of the final which didn't suit.

"I haven't had a chance to look at the speed map yet but I'm guessing from the good draw he should be able to settle fairly prominent in the run.

"He was probably down in grade at Bendigo last start but he had to carry the big weight and benefited from a perfect ride from Blaike McDougall in the end."

McDougall has been replaced in the saddle by claiming apprentice Hannah Williams.

Interestingly, McDougall has opted to make the trek to Wangaratta for the cup meeting in favour of taking rides at Flemington.

McDougall has a full book of eight rides at Wangaratta including Eureka Street in the $100,000 feature.

O'Prey said the 3kg claim by Williams would help This Skilled Cat overcome the rise in grade in the $75,000 heat.

"The horse steps-up in grade so we need to take every advantage that we can get," O'Prey said.

"Hannah has rode him before even though she didn't have much luck that day at Wagga.

"But I think dropping 3kg, the horse does get into the race well on weights."

ALSO IN SPORT

Meanwhile, the Hayes-trained Dark Dream looks the testing material in the $100,000 Wangaratta Cup, (2000m) after the final field was released on Thursday.

A winner of more than $2-million in prizemoney, Dark Dream drops sharply in grade after contesting much stronger races in the city recently.

Dark Dream won at Flemington two starts back and finished fifth at his most recent start at Caulfield last month.

The locally-trained Nordic Pride will be chasing a hometown victory for trainer Ben Brisbourne.

The five-year-old gelding produced one of the best runs of his career three-starts back when running third at Flemington with Jye McNeil aboard.

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