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By Greg Prichard

Gosford trainer Jake Hull has plenty of belief in Sixfootone’s ability to stand tall again when the former South Australian horse races at his new favourite track Taree on Friday.

The five-year-old gelding, which has had two starts at Taree for two wins, will contest the last race on the eight-event card - the Club Taree Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1250m.

Sixfootone (Ben Looker) coasts home at Taree. Image by Trackside Photography

Sixfootone has drawn barrier nine, but is set to come in to seven in a 14-horse field with the emergencies out.

Hull has raced Sixfootone five times for two wins and a third since the horse joined him from South Australia.

Sixfootone won over 1300m on a Heavy 9 track at Taree three starts back, on December 24, and again there over 1262m on a Good 4 track at his last start on February 2.

Top Mid North Coast-based jockey Ben Looker has ridden him at his last three starts and will be on-board again on Friday.

“He won really well last start and Benny Looker really gets along with him,” Hull said. “He’s sort of found the key to him, I feel.

“He goes up in weight, but it’s the same grade and if he can repeat what he did last time you’d have to think he should be quite hard to beat.

“The only question is he’s had quite a long preparation and hopefully we’re not going one too many, but he’s in good order and I’m very happy with him.

“There’s nothing I can see to suggest that it’s not a good idea to run. He’s still eating everything, he’s still glowing in the coat and he still seems a happy horse.

"If there were any negatives I’d be the first to say he’s had enough and tip him out. I guess time will tell on that score, but we go there with a little bit of confidence.

“He’s just been ultra-consistent since we got him. I was a bit unsure as to what we’d get with a horse with South Australian form, I didn’t quite know how it would measure up here, but he arrived in good order and has put in a good effort every start.”

Hull said he didn’t think it was a coincidence that Sixfootone had gone so well at Taree and that the horse liked the track.

“He’s a big horse and he does a few things wrong, he’s a little bit gangly, but he seems to get around Taree quite well even though it is a bit of a tighter track,” he said. “So he must like it.”

Sixfootone has raced in or near the lead in all of his starts for Hull and led the field in the run for both of his Taree wins.

The Taree track was rated a Heavy 8 on Thursday morning following midweek rain, after it had improved to a Soft 7 at one stage following last Sunday’s wash-out.

There was drying weather early on Thursday, but with the forecast for some more rain ahead of the meeting.

Hull said he thought Sixfootone raced better on top of the ground, but that the horse had obviously proved he could handle the wet.

“I reckon a soft track would probably suit him ideally, but he can obviously go through the heavy so I’m not concerned about the track conditions,” he said. “No matter what the track rating is we’ll be sending him around.”

*Gates open at 12.30pm. First race 1.25pm. Admission $10 and $5 concession. Full bar, bistro, TAB and bookmaker facilities. Visit Facebook page Manning Valley Race Club for more information.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Taree here