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By Ray Hickson

The benefit of a spring campaign and form around unbeaten youngster Barber has co-trainer Adrian Bott confident Coincide can shore up a spot in next month’s $2 million Inglis Millennium when he returns at Randwick.

Trainer Adrian Bott (Pic: Bradley Photos)

Coincide went down narrowly on debut in the Kirkham Plate behind Barber back in October before an excusable failure in the Golden Gift.

Bott said he expects the colt to put himself on the speed in the Petaluma Handicap (1000m), where he was $4.20 with TAB on Thursday, as he did on debut and give a good account.

“There’s a lot to like about the manner in which he ran first-up, if we can repeat that it’d be great,’’ Bott said.

“He was very good when racing that way on debut and just in the Golden Gift there was plenty of speed on and he got back, struck a bit of interference in the middle stages.

“It got him on the wrong leg and got him unbalanced on the turn, it was a disaster for him from that point.”

Since the spring, Coincide won a trial at Warwick Farm just over two weeks ago.

He’s currently around 14th in the order of entry for the Inglis Millennium (1100m), run on February 11, and while there’s natural upside from the first-up run Bott said experience should take him a long way.

“It puts him in a good position. He’s pretty well seasoned and has had a good break off the back of it,’’ he said.

“He’s trialled up nicely and looks to have improved. Hopefully with a bit of racing, and the break, he can take benefit from it.

“Ideally we can get him qualified here through a positive return.”

In-form five-year-old Vreneli chases a hat-trick in the Listed $160,000 Drinkwise Carrington Stakes (1400m) and Bott said he’s earned a shot at his toughest test to date.

Vreneli led all the way at Rosehill two weeks ago in a Benchmark 88, running out a two length winner, and while he drops in weight Bott is wary the Carrington is unlikely to be handed to him.

“He’s going from strength to strength,’’ he said.

“We were tempted to keep him in his grade but it looked a nice opportunity to take advantage of.

“We don’t expect him to get things his own way by any means but I think he’s versatile enough to handle a bit of pressure at this point in his campaign.”

Bott is being forgiving of Nothinsweetaboutme in the Fujitsu General Handicap (1600m) as she comes out of a failure at Group 3 level in Gosford’s Belle Of The Turf.

She carried 62kg to a gutsy first-up third at Randwick a month ago and while burdened with the same weight on Saturday he’s confident she will run well.

“She was caught wide there around a tricky track and struggled from that point,’’ he said.

“She wasn’t able to find a rhythm in that race, things didn’t work out so I’d be forgiving of that.”

The blinkers go on Star Sparks in the Ranvet Handicap (1600m) and that could be significant as he’s unbeaten second-up and ran a pleasing fourth at Rosehill two weeks ago when resuming.

Coincide wins a trial at Warwick Farm on January 3

Three of the gelding’s five wins have come at the mile and Bott is quietly confident he’ll be a major player.

“I thought it was an excellent run first-up, he’s always a little vulnerable first time out,’’ he said.

“The blinkers go back on, he’ll continue to improve over a bit further later. With the run that he’s had now he’ll be much better.

“Hopefully he can show some speed and put himself up there and take the benefit from that first-up run.”

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