CHANGING riding tactics may be the key to Jumbo Prince's chances of winning the $25,000 Mortlake Cup on Saturday.
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Jumbo Prince ran seventh in a nine-horse field in the Avoca Cup at his last start but Warrnambool trainer John Brooks is hoping for a better showing from the eight-year-old in the 2000-metre race.
"The instructions were to ride Jumbo Prince back in the field at Avoca," Brooks said.
"I don't think that helped Jumbo Prince's chances. I'll be saying to our apprentice jockey Emily Brown to push up from barrier two.
"We want to use the good gate to our advantage. I rate Emily's four kilogram claim a big plus for us. It would be great for Emily if she happened to win the cup."
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Brooks, who has three horses in work, said Jumbo Prince was also nominated for the $125,000 Kyneton Cup next Wednesday.
"We'll run him in the Mortlake Cup and if he runs well we may go to the Kyneton Cup," he said.
"He's a pretty handy type as a jumper. Our future aim is to have him ready for the Galleywood Hurdle at next year's Warrnambool May Carnival."
Jumbo Prince has won 12 of his 61 starts and earnt more then $900,000 in stakemoney for his connections.
Fellow Warrnambool trainers Symon Wilde, Lindsey Smith and Geoff Withers have runners in the Mortlake Cup.
The first of seven races is set down to start at 1.27pm while the cup is scheduled to begin at 5.05pm.
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