The Cleaner draws nicely at 2 in Bletchingly Stakes

Popular front runner The Cleaner will jump from barrier two when he makes his debut for the Peter Gelagotis stable in the Group 3 $150,000 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

The Cleaner, above, has drawn nicely at barrier 2 in the Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

The Cleaner, above, has drawn nicely at barrier 2 in the Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Senior jockey Steven Arnold will be reunited with The Cleaner who will be having his first run back from an injury enforced spell following his seventh in the Listed $100,000 Conquering WFA (1400m) at Launceston on December 9 last year.

Arnold has ridden The Cleaner on eight occasions when he was under the care of Tasmanian trainer Mick Burles and the pair combined for wins in the 2014 Group 2 $250,000 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley and in the Group 3 $200,000 Alternate Railway JRA Cup (2040m) at Moonee Valley two weeks later.

The Cleaner was transferred to the Gelagotis stable following his unplaced run at Launceston and will be making his first appearance since injuring a tendon.

The stable’s racing manger Manny Gelagotis said that The Cleaner had responded well to treatment and is ready to kick off his 2016 Spring Carnival campaign at Caulfield this weekend.

“The regime we have put in place to get him back to the track seems to have been as successful as we could have hoped for,” Manny Gelagotis told G1X.com.au.

There will be plenty of pressure on in the early and middle stages after on pace runners Charmed Harmony and Mahuta also accepted for the Bletchingly Stakes.

The Darren Weir trained Mahuta is also resuming from a break and will be facing the starter for the first time since running fourteenth to stablemate Palentino in the Group 1 $750,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 5.

Mahuta was the winner of his previous six starts with Brad Rawiller in the saddle for four of them and the top rider will combine with the rising four year old again in the Bletchingly Stakes.

Mahuta will have to cross from barrier eight in the twelve horse field to take up his customary position in or near the lead while the other on pace runner Charmed Harmony will jump from gate six.

The speedy Lord Of The Sky is also likely to race prominently from barrier five with Damien Oliver back in the saddle.

Oliver has ridden the Robbie Laing trained sprinter on three previous occasions with their best efforts being a nose second to Chautauqua in the 2015 Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick during the Sydney Autumn Carnival followed by a second to Flamberge in the Group 1 $500,000 Darley Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville six weeks later.

Number one saddlecloth holder Smokin’ Joey has drawn barrier four with Michael Walker in the saddle while the Lindsay Park trained Fast ‘N’ Rocking has drawn wide at eleven with Dwayne Dunn sticking with the five year old.

Smart Adelaide trained mare Runway Star with Don Tourneur in the saddle has also drawn a wide gate at ten.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.