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By Tony Megahey

Accomplished Dubbo trainer Michael Mullholland, in a winning vein, has given the strongest possible lead with in-form Cheptegei ($3.20 favourite on TAB), declaring the gelding for the traditional $32,000 Breakout River Meats Cowra Japan Cup at Sunday’s Orange TAB meeting.

Showing his hand, Mulholland has scratched Cheptegei from the richer $36,000 Cowra Lamb Cowra Cup on the same day.

Cheptegei scores for Mikayla Weir at Narromine. Image by Janian McMillan (Racing Photography)

The last start dominant Gilgandra Cup winner was originally with the Busuttin and Young team in Victoria and then with other regional NSW stables before joining Mullholland and absolutely thriving with four wins from his past eight starts.

“Couldn’t be happier, tough genuine and going back through his form he’s best around the 1300m range.

"Has won three so we went that way in preference to the 1600m of the Cowra Cup,” Mullholland explained.

Cheptegei carries 57kg with Serg Lisnyy in the Japan Cup (1280m) and significantly, Mullholland has accepted in the Cowra Lamb Cup (1600m) with last start Orange winner Sea of Flames ($4.80).

But he was keen to focus on performed six-year-old Cheptegei.

“It’s a stronger race than last start, depth right through but the way he won, suggests he’s right up to it.”

Cheptegei won at Gilgandra with 55kg for Lisnyy who retains the ride rising 2kg on Sunday in a wide open feature.

Mullholland is not concerned with a wide barrier 10 on a tight and turning track with 11 runners before scratchings.

“His racing pattern is on-pace, that’s where you need to be at Orange and then hopefully get a kick off a downhill run into that short straight.

“But Serg rode him ideally to win last start, we brought Serg up for more opportunities from the regionals down there, really capable light weight.”

There’s any amount of winning form in the feature with topweight Classy Rebel ($15), Dubai Centre ($6.50) coming off Kembla form and the promising Power Bank ($15) coming off a winning treble.

At present Orange is a Good 4 in fine weather.

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