Rhinoceros returns to winners’ circle at Mornington

Unfulfilled potential as a force in feature races in his three-year-old year, as a five-year-old Rhinoceros may be coming to hand at just the right time as firmer tracks are likely to be a common feature of Victorian racing over the summer months.

Notching his first win since January in the Gary Lee Handicap (1500m) at Mornington, with that victory prior at Pakenham breaking a 14-month drought, front running tracks and harder surfaces are likely to play to the gelding’s advantage.

“He loves just getting out and running along and doing his own thing,” co-trainer David Browne said.

Unplaced last start at Flemington six days earlier over 1420-metres, Browne said the conditions that day did not now allow Rhinoceros ($7) to roll along as he likes to do.

“He’s gone around as well as he could and has been running the right times so I thought I might as well back him up,” he added.

“I said to Tom (Stockdale) to get him out of the gates and get him moving. It was exactly how I wanted it.

“He’s the type of horse that if we place him right then he’ll keep winning.”

A recent stable move from Cranbourne to Pakenham is also delivering positively on the track for the training partnership with wife Emma-Lee.

“A change of scene and a smaller stable has helped to sharpen our focus,” he said.