Well bred galloper Leicester Square may never get back his purchase price but he looks well placed in today's Emirates Park Handicap (race 4) at Scone.
The gelding faces a small field and although carrying a big weight should prove hard to hold out as he comes back to a mile in this Benchmark 65.
The blue-blooded galloper was a $2 million yearling at the Inglis Sales, being by Redoute's Choice from the Sunday Silence mare Lavishly.
He won his debut here as a colt and hopes were high he could measure up to top class as a three-year-old but he failed to realise his potential.
Connections made the tough decision to geld Leicester Square and he has been racing better since but suffice to say has a lot of wins to come if he's ever to recoup his purchase price.
After a decent spell he resumed over 1400m in the Tamworth Cup – no easy task as he took on some very tough stagers with just three career wins to his name.
He sat just off the speed and was there throughout, battling away well to finish a two length fifth behind Scussy Moola.
He then headed to Newcastle over 1400m in a Benchmark 70.
Settling closer in the run and stalking the leading throughout, he worked to the line well but couldn't get past Flaming Circle, going down a nose.
Up to 1550m at Canterbury Park, a one metropolitan winners class, he drew one of the outside gates so slid forward and took up the running.
Turning in the lead he kicked strongly but this time couldn't hold off Strumming.
Trainer Paul Messara then stepped him up to 1900m last start there. He drew the inside and settled just off the lead going keenly before copping a check.
He turned third but only battled home in the slow conditions, finishing a six length eighth.
Today he comes back in grade and he also comes back to a mile and back to his home track.
While he will carry a bigger weight he looks well placed as he also returns to firmer footing.
On his three runs prior to last starts disappointment he would go close and in the small field will take running down.
Another local galloper Kwilas Law should be hard to hold out.
The gelding, in the Luke Griffith yard at Scone, has been thereabouts at his last few starts and gets his chance to break through.
Three starts ago he raced over 1400m at Randwick on the Kensington track and ran on well to finish third, before tackling a mile at Gosford and coming from well back to finish a close-up fifth.
Last start, over 1400m at Mudgee, he again got home well to finish third, just over a length from the winner.
While he has won only once at the trip he has a host of minors over the journey and goes well at home.
With leading rider Greg Ryan aboard he should be hitting the line hard again.
My Man Of War covered ground in town last time and looks the other main hope.
The Kris Lees trained gelding battled on well to finish fourth over 1550m at Canterbury Last time and on that run rates highly here.
His recent form has been on heavy tracks but his record suggests his best results have been with firmer footing.
Silent Creek bombed the start last time and on his previous run would be running on hard here.
