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Muswellbrook conditioner, Jan Bowen, will head to Rosehill Gardens on Saturday with Casino Kid set to contest the 1200m Class Three TAB Highway Handicap.
Alysha Collett takes the ride for connections, but after drawing gate 11 – Casino Kid's third wide gate in as many starts in town – Jan Bowen conceded it would be a tough ask for the four-year-old to win the $100,000 race.
"I can't get anywhere inside (gate) 10 when I go to town. I've just had no luck," Bowen laughed.
"It makes a big difference in these Highways. It just makes it hard because he is looking for more ground and he will need a little bit of luck from there.
"In these Highways, they are always big fields, and he hasn't got the early speed, but he has a massive final 200m and if we can have him in the right position, he can outsprint anything, but he will need luck from that draw on Saturday."
The Casino Prince gelding does have a massive motor, and he caught the eye last start in town, flashing late to finish sixth at Royal Randwick over the 1100m in a Class TAB Highway, beaten only 1.7 lengths.
"He is jumping out of his skin, and I couldn't have him any better," Bowen said.
"We have a big rap on the horse, and I think he will be better over a mile or further, and with a fair run, I expect him to go close."
Bowen envisioned bigger races ahead of Casino Kid, although for now, the Muswellbrook trainer really wanted a TAB Highway victory before targeting other races.
"We haven't really picked any races out. He will just come up through the classes, but I think he will be racing in the metropolitan area," Bowen said.
"There are other races we could be looking at but I'm going for these Highways, because if we take him somewhere else and he wins a race, he isn't eligible for them anymore.
"He is already a Class Three horse, and we are giving him a chance to win one."
Casino Kid enters Saturday's race second-up and Bowen couldn't be happier with the gelding, although she did indicate he had more improvement in him this preparation.
"He looks healthy, and he is bright as a button, but his coat hasn't cleaned up, so he has a lot of improvement in him," Bowen said.
"I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do on Saturday and this preparation."
Casino Kid is currently an $11 commodity in the TAB Highway.
