FORMER Victorian gelding Lingo has the Devonport Cup on his radar after winning his second race in four days at Elwick yesterday.
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Although it took him most of the home straight to wear down outsider Hold True, Lingo proved a shade too strong in the THA Benchmark 82 Handicap, over 2100 metres.
The Craig Conron-trained five-year-old also scored at Mowbray on Wednesday night and took no harm from the run.
‘‘He pulled up well after Wednesday night so I thought we may as well progress to this race, and I am very glad we did,’’ Conron said.
Lingo settled fourth in the field of five but at one stage down the back straight he was a dozen lengths from the tearaway leader Hold True, who looked to be travelling like a winner on the home turn.
But under strong riding from Kim Moore, Lingo ground down the leader and hit the line a half-length clear of Hold True, with that horse’s stablemate Can Get Thirsty the same margin away third.
The well backed Weekend Winner (Bulent Muhcu) was last for most of the race, and although she made up some ground late to finish fourth, she was disappointing.
Lingo was also well backed, firming from $2.80 to start the $2 favourite.
Conron said he was hoping to aim Lingo at the Devonport Cup in January and would target the Sheffield Cup as the gelding’s main lead-up race.
‘‘The Devonport Cup is my main target with this horse — in fact, that’s the race I had in mind when I bought him from Melbourne,’’ the trainer said.