A Super Day!

We are very proud to have Buffalo River, still racing in good form at nine, taking his place in the Supernova thanks to the slot provided by OTI Racing.

He has drawn out - 12 of the 13 but Celine Gaudray is back on board and she knows him well - and he races well for her.

And Pakenham is a big, fair track - "we are not too concerned about the draw," Michael said, "as there is a long enough run down the back straight so hopefully he can get across and get in."

Always racing well on pace, Buffalo River has lost a bit of his early gate speed but he musters well though at his last few runs he has been forced to work by horses kicking up on his inside.

His latest run was over slightly longer and he will appreciate coming back to the 1400m, his favourite trip (eight wins including two at Gr.3 level) - "and the other thing in his favour is that every time we have backed him up he has gone really well."

In fact both of his Gr.3 wins have come on the back-up as did a recent very brave Gr.3 second at Caulfield.

"So he has got a lot in his favour today," Michael said, "though it is a pretty handy race. There are some really nice up-and-coming horses in it but we are running around for a million dollars and he is competitive against the best and always has been."

With his $1.44 million prize money tally, Buffalo River is the fourth highest earner in the race and only two of his rivals have won more stakes races than him.

The handsome grey Mathletic, who kicked off his career in great form in France winning his first two before a series of nice runs in stakes races, lines up in the seventh race, the Sportsbet More Places Handicap.

Jumping from barrier 8 with Daniel Stackhouse aboard, he has performed very well at his two runs this time, looking nicely primed for the mile third up.

Caught three wide without cover when resuming in the all greys race at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day, Mathletic kept boxing on to finish a brave fifth before improving into the placings second up.

On that occasion he was in the lead, boxing on gamely for third.

And since then he has pleased us.

"He has trained on well," Michael reported, noting that the six-year-old had his main piece of lead-up work in a home track jump-out on December 13.

"We were really happy with his jump-out third in a quite a slick heat and we let him roll on ab it further so he got a nice hit-out."

"That was his main gallop going into this and we are happy with him. A bit of rain would've helped, that's the only little thing, the firm track."

"But he is going well and he can slide forward and put himself into the race. And fitness wise he is getting better and better coming back from that break."

Mathletic was below his best during his first Australian campaign but these imports can often take a preparation to acclimatize and he is now in good order.

His best form in France was over the 1600m so we are hopeful of a bold showing from the son of Juddmonte's star stallion Kingman.

Breeding trivia: Mathletic hails from a different branch of the prolific Chelandry (one of the great matriarchs of the breed) as Champion Sire I Am Invincible.