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By Ray Hickson

It’s something like 750km from Canberra to Moree but trainer Matthew Kelley saw an opportunity to tackle Sunday’s Moree Cup meeting with a team of horses so he’s road tripping for the weekend.

Trainer Matthew Kelley (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Kelley was particularly looking for a suitable race for in-form mare Prophet’s Pride, who lines up in the $50,000 Graysonline Moree Cup (1400m), and sprinter Spinosaurus and once he examined the program found another two horses fit in well to what was on offer at the showcase meeting.

It’ll be a trip broken up by heading from Canberra to Dubbo on Saturday then an overnight stay before Kelley’s crew descends on Moree on Sunday morning.

“The program was suitable for the type of horses I have, especially the horses that are borderline open company,’’ Kelley said.

“So I thought what else do I have in the stable that are in the same position and there’s a couple there that the races are really suitable for.

“If you’re taking four there it’s worth taking a couple of days out of your week to go for that type of prizemoney.”

Prophet’s Pride won her fourth race since she joined the Kelley stable when she scored on Canberra's synthetic Acton track on August 9 and was narrowly beaten two weeks later on the same surface.

The mare hasn’t won in three attempts at 1400m but Kelley said the form around her latest attempt in the Snake Gully Cup back in November has been excellent, with the four horses who finished in front of her all winning since, and she’s set up well to run it out.

“I couldn’t be happier with her, it’s the best she’s ever gone for me,’’ he said.

“She’s gone from being a benchmark 65 horse to stepping up to open company grade and going to the midweeks and running third.

“You won’t get her going any better than what she’s doing at the moment. Whatever she does in the Moree Cup that’s her at her best.”

Kelley said he expects Prophet’s Pride to be right on the speed as usual and hopes Quayde Krogh, who is making the trip north to ride the trainer’s quartet, can control things.

“We won’t be going flat out in front, we’ll be positive and on the speed and if she doesn’t run it out now she never will,’’ he said.

Speedster Spinosaurus has found one better in his past two starts at Kembla Grange and Wagga and Kelley said the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service Moree Town Plate (950m) is a perfect race for him.

He was rapt with the gelding’s performance at Wagga on August 11 where he was touched out by Gogol despite refusing to settle in the run.

Prophet's Pride runs second at Canberra on August 23

“He sat outside the leader over racing the whole race and stuck on and ran second,’’ he said.

“From barrier one over the 950m there won’t be any over racing, he’ll be fast and out the front and they’ll be doing well to catch him.

“This is his first preparation back from a throat operation and he’s come back a different horse. That’s a beautiful race for him, showcase prizemoney, the track will suit and 950m will suit.”

All the fields, form and replays for Sunday's Moree meeting