IN-form Warrnambool trainer Lindsey Smith hopes a change in environment will help Furrion find some of his old form at Flemington on Saturday.
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Furrion, the winner of the 2019 Warrnambool Cup before putting in some inglorious performances, resumes after eight months on the sidelines for Smith in a $125,000 race.
Smith, who has stables at Warrnambool and Perth, also saddles up Reykjavik in the same race.
"I've just got my fingers crossed about Furrion," he said.
"Furrion's old form was sound. He won a Warrnambool Cup and ran second in an Easter Cup. We've just given him a light training campaign to have him ready for this preparation. I've been quite happy with his track work leading into this race but I'm mindful he's had a long break away from the track. It's a sort of wait and see how he performs. Let's just say I'm confident he'll be improved with this run under his belt. The change in environment seems to have helped Furrion."
The multiple group one-winning trainer rates Reykjavik a good each way chance in the open handicap.
"Reykjavik probably has not produced his best runs in this campaign but in saying that he's been a bit unlucky on a couple of occasions," he said. "I think he should be competitive in this race."
Early betting markets see Furrion a $100 chance while Reykjavik is rated a $14 chance.
Smith had two winners at Warrnambool on Thursday after two winners including the Swan Hill Cup last Sunday.
Fellow Warrnambool trainer Daniel Bowman saddles up Capriccio in the listed Creswick Stakes.
Winslow training export Ciaron Maher, who trains in partnership with David Eustace have numerous runners on the nine race Flemington program. They also have runners at Rosehill and Ipswich.
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