Promising mare Cleo Cat has the Flemington straight on her agenda after a gallant second in the $175,000 listed Bel Esprit Stakes at Caulfield last Saturday.
With Beau Mertens aboard, Cleo Cat ($4.40) failed by three-quarters of a length to overhaul Grahame Begg-trained favourite Niance at the end of 1100 metres.
“I was very happy with how she ran on Saturday,” trainer Tom Dabernig  said.
“She’s going really well. She was beaten by a very good mare in Niance. I’m not too disappointed to run second to her in town.
“I really want to run Cleo Cat down the straight at Flemington. There’s a nice race for her there on June 21. If she happens to run well down the straight it opens up a lot of options going into the spring.”
Cleo Cat picked up $31,500 with Saturday’s second placing, taking her overall bank to $294,439 from nine starts for seven wins and that second.
In other stable news, Caulfield scratching Romantic Choice is headed for this Friday’s $150,000 Golden Topaz at Swan Hill.
“I just thought this was a better option,” he said. “Her last run (in the Wangoom Handicap) might have looked a shade disappointing but I’m prepared to forget that. She’s a handy mare and I think with a bit of luck she should run well in the Golden Topaz.”
Dabernig added his stable could have as many as eight runners at this weekend’s Swan Hill carnival.
Travelling north
The Swan Hill carnival is always circled on Quinton Scott’s calendar and the veteran Crossley trainer is hopeful he can snag a winner there this weekend.
“I’ve been taking horses to the Swan Hill carnival for about 30 years,” Scott said. “My wife Barb and I just love getting up there for a few days.
“The people really look after you. They make you feel at home. It’s like a working holiday.
“We’ve had a bit of luck there too. Toroa won the invitation race for us (in 1979) before it was called the Golden Topaz.
“We were lucky in that we had John Letts ride him. Johnny was the difference between winning and losing.
“It would be a great trip if we could come home with a winner this year.”
Belle Bars, Love And Run and Final Boy will be Scott’s runners this weekend.
Gun has upside
Noonday Gun had to survive a protest before Warrnambool trainer Shane Jackson could celebrate his victory in the benchmark 120 Sportsbet Feed Hurdle (3400m) at Sandown last Sunday.
Noonday Gun ($4.40) was first over the line before top jockey Steven Pateman lodged a protest on behalf of runner-up and $2.50 favourite Sing For Peace, which the stewards dismissed.
Jackson gave credit to his good mate Tom Ryan following his win on Noonday Gun.
“Tom’s riding in great form,” Jackson said. “He never panicked at any stage.
“Noonday Gun is a new acquisition to my stable and I believe there’s plenty of upside to him. A start in the Brendan Drechsler Hurdle is an option but I’d like to see him run in a steeplechase before the end of this jumps season.”
Noonday Gun is unbeaten from three jumps starts.
Mel fires early
Warrnambool jockey Melissa Julius made every post a winner at Sunday’s Penola meeting, with three rides for two winners and a second. Julius won the first two races,  on Quik Rhapid ($3.50) for Millicent trainer Jamie Opperman and Hubristic ($3.40) for Naracoorte’s Sue and Jason Jaensch.
Do-over for Silver?
Warrnambool trainer Patrick Ryan may back up his handy mare Silver Cliff at Flemington this Saturday following her unplaced run at Caulfield last Saturday.
Ryan said drawing a wide gate cruelled the Nicconi mare’s chances at Caulfield.
“Overall I was happy with how she ran on Saturday,” he said.
“Barrier 10 made our task tough. She had to be used up early. If she’d drawn a better barrier I’m sure she’d have finished closer.
“I’ll look at running her at Flemington but we’ll see how she’s pulled up. Like so many other horses she’s looking for a wet track.”
From her 12 starts Silver Cliff has won two races.