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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Brett Cavanough has one immediate goal for talented galloper Fender but otherwise views Saturday’s Listed $150,000 Taylor Civic Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill as a crossroad.

Trainer Brett Cavanough. (Pic: Steve Hart).

The pressing aim is to snare a bit of black type for the gelding’s family, given the horse’s owners have a half-sister, but as far as the rest of the winter, and potentially the spring, is concerned Cavanough has an open mind.

Fender is on the $11 line in TAB’s all-in market on The Kosciuszko, a race he ran seventh in last year, but the Scone trainer said that race is not currently in the front of his mind.

“I’m more after the black type for the mare, we always had a winter program in mind,’’ he said.

“We don’t have any great plan other than try to get a bit of black type for the family and capitalise on his wet track ability through the winter.

“If he improves again who knows where we go, there’s so many options. The Gong, the Hunter, I don’t know what level he gets to but Saturday is a stepping stone towards it.”

Five of Fender’s six wins have come on soft or heavy ground and while he’s yet to win at 1400m, his last start fifth in the Group 3 BRC Sprint at 1350m suggests it’ll be no issue.

That race was a month ago and the four-year-old has since trialled on his home track, Cavanough said the Civic will help answer the distance question.

“We had a sneaky go at the Stradbroke, tried to get in the back door there, he won a couple and ran a nice race in a qualifier,’’ he said.

“I suppose him and Garibaldi were aiming at the same run and Bossy beat my jockey to the punch and took the run, he was probably going a bit better but he only beat us a small margin after he scouted wide.

“He had a couple of easy weeks with this race in mind, it’s sort of a crossroad.

“I thought the 1400m at Randwick on a soft track versus a high speed 1200m Ramornie that Randwick might be a softer option.”

Jean Van Overmeire rides Fender, $6.50 with TAB on Thursday, in the Civic and from barrier nine Cavanough said he won’t necessarily be rushing forward but would like to see a repeat of how Hugh Bowman handled the horse in winning at Doomben two starts ago.

“He has a good turn of foot, he’s the sort of horse that can take a sit,’’ he said.

“He has a beautiful big stride and we’ll probably ride him similar to the way Bowman rode him in Queensland.

“Just let him come out and find a nice spot and let him go through his gears. It’ll be a tough run home and that’ll probably fall into his hands.”

Promising filly Patino Ruby comes out of Highway company for the first time this preparation and Cavanough feels the Peter Kafataris Handicap (1300m) is an ideal race for her.

Patino Ruby, $8 with TAB, resumed with a game second in a 1200m Highway on May 22 then two weeks later at Rosehill she drew wide, coming back to 1100m, and hit the line well to be beaten two lengths by Distillate.

“In those Highways sometimes the experience can beat the three-year-olds,’’ Cavanough said.

“She’s going into a three-year-old race which is a big advantage rather than taking on those tough geldings. A slight filly like her, a bump or something puts her out of the equation.

Fender runs second in a trial at Scone on June 16

“We asked for permission to ride her back with ear muffs from the wide gate. Jason (Collett) was very cold and went back until he got in, he taught her something and she got home well.”

Cavanough has already approached stewards with his intention to have the filly ridden further forward than last time from gate five with 51.5kg on her back.

And Eiger might be a $16 chance in the Garry Burgess Handicap (1500m) but Cavanough said they stumbled upon the right way to ride him when narrowly beaten at Dubbo last start and his performance was encouraging.

He drops 4kg and it’s likely Sam Clipperton will take advantage of a favourable draw.

“I think he is well placed, he just struggles with 60kg in the ratings races in the country,’’ he said.

“We’ve been riding him back, everyone thought that was his pattern, the other day (Aaron) Bullock put him on the back of the speed, he momentarily hit the top and he showed a bit of courage which we thought was lacking.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Randwick meeting