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By Ray Hickson

It’s a source of some surprise to jockey Keagan Latham that Dr Drill hasn’t won a race since they combined in the 2020 Scone Cup but he’s hoping to correct that stat at Grafton on Thursday.

To be fair to the seven-year-old, he has recorded six second placings and two thirds up to Group 2 level since his last victory but a breakthrough has proven elusive.

Latham said there’s no doubting Dr Drill’s determination and he feels there’s a sense of timing about him in the Listed $200,000 Southside Pharmacy Grafton Cup (2350m).

“He’s come close a couple of times in some pretty strong races,’’ Latham said.

“He’s a versatile animal, only a small guy, and he can run a good race anywhere from a mile up to 2400m. It takes a half decent animal to be able to do something like that.

“I don’t think he’s the kind of horse that wins by more than half a length but he’s tough, he pins his ears back and runs his heart out.

“He gave me a good feel in his last run, he was carrying more weight for a small horse against the winner. I think he has a very good chance.”

Dr Drill, $3.60 favourite with TAB on Wednesday, was runner-up to Rustic Steel in the Scone Cup (1600m) two starts ago and chased home Skyman in the McKell Cup (2000m) at Rosehill a month back - the latter was Latham's first ride on the gelding since the 2020 Scone Cup.

Dr Drill runs second at Rosehill on June 18

He was conceding Skyman 5kg in the McKell Cup and Latham said he effort told him he’s not far off a win.

“I thought he ran a very good race, the winner was well weighted with Pikey on board,’’ he said.

“I was happy with my horse, he probably wasn’t at his peak.”

Trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have been mixing distances with Dr Drill but he’s no stranger to a staying test having won over 2414m in Europe and he was beaten half a length in the Group 2 Sandown Classic over 2400m back in November.

Maher won the Grafton Cup in 2013 with Mr O’Ceirin. Latham said Dr Drill has had a good platform to go back to the staying trip with runs at a mile and 2000m.

“He has a nice draw which helps. He has a good turn of speed even over that trip,’’ he said.

“I’d like to have him just behind the leaders, if they go quick enough probably a pair further back.

“I don’t want to be too far away in those races, I generally like to take luck out of the equation. The race looks like it’s there to suit him.”

With his second placing in the Scone Cup in May, Dr Drill earned eligibility for the $2 million Big Dance run over a mile at Royal Randwick on November 1.

Although winners of the qualifying races are given ballot preference, as it stands Dr Drill is the highest rated runner-up which increases his chances of making the final field.

The next Big Dance eligible race is the $50,000 Forbes Cup (1600m) run on July 31.

All the fields, form and replays for Thursday's Grafton Cup meeting