Got The Goss was impressive when winning first-up last month but trainer Trevor McIIrick said he’ll perform even better on Saturday when he contests the Benchmark 93 Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens.

Got The Goss kept his perfect first-up record intact at Rosehill on November 28 when coming from back in the field to surge home and nudge out Turbulent Jet over 1200 metres.

He’s also unbeaten second-up from three starts. And that’s when he fires according to McIIrick. “He improves so much second-up. It’s a drastic improvement,” he said.“You wouldn’t know he had a run.”

With six other horses nominated, McIIrick knows that a genuine tempo isn’t guaranteed and the race could turn into a tactical battle.

There’s some rain forecast during the week too, but it’s not looking like enough to abort the Rosehill mission.

The five-year-old has one win on a heavy track but McIIrick said to ignore that as it occurred when the horse was three and he “just got through on ability and strength”.

“Going through his classes he was always in small fields, but I do like him racing in bigger fields where you know you’ll get a genuine speed,” McIIrick said.

“He’s racing over 1400 metres second-up so he’ll be closer on Saturday.

“These 1400 metre races can be funny though. Sometimes they’ll walk and other times they’ll fly out and the times vary a bit.”

In-form hoop Jason Collett takes the ride after he booted home three winners at Randwick on Villiers day last Saturday.

McIIrick said the track, currently rated a Good 4, would have to be downgraded to Heavy for Got The Goss not to start.

“I’d say he’d be up to the Listed mark,” McIIrick said. “I’ve got no concerns with the 1400 metres considering the way he races. It won’t worry him at all.”