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By Ray Hickson

There’s been a noticeable change in comeback star Mugatoo in the past couple of weeks and that gives jockey Dylan Gibbons cause to expect a cheeky return at Rosehill on Saturday.

Apprentice Dylan Gibbons (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The star apprentice has been on board the eight-year-old in his past two trials, two months apart, and said the difference in the horse has been significant as he regains confidence after a tendon injury that has sidelined him for over 12 months.

While the Bankstown Sports Handicap (1400m) is very much a starting point for Mugatoo, Gibbons said the signs have been positive since his latest trial at Scone on July 27.

“It’s always tricky for horses when they come back from injury like that,’’ he said.

“A bit like a person, you’re always a bit tender and a bit worried stretching out and just for a while there he didn’t seem to have confidence stretching out.

“He wasn’t comfortable putting it under full pressure and that corresponded to his work, he just wasn’t finding the extra gear. But after his last trial at Scone he improved leaps and bounds, he feels great stretching out.

“Obviously race day is a whole different ball game but he’s shown a massive improvement in his work. He’s gained a lot of confidence and that has translated to his work.

“We are expecting a good run from him, albeit you can’t expect too much after an injury like that. But everything at home is suggesting he’s going as well as he could and the signs are looking positive.”

Mugatoo, who has won almost $3.4 million in his 21 starts, last raced in the 2021 Doomben Cup and his steps back to racing have been tentative with a barrier trial in April and two in May before that two month gap until the Scone hitout.

Trainer Kris Lees concurred that latest trial has been a turning point and while Mugatoo will carry 62kg, after Gibbons’ 3kg claim, how he performs early in his comeback will tell him if he can return to the top level.

He has been patiently waiting for the right time and did entertain kicking off in the Winter Challenge and the Coffs Harbour Cup in recent weeks.

“It’s taken a while for his confidence to let down in his trials to come back and he showed that he’s nearly ready to get back to the races,’’ Lees said.

“He’s coming off a tendon injury so they can take a while to switch back on.

“You’d be brave to say an older horse who has had 12 months off with an injury is the horse he was but we will all know after a couple of runs.”

The gelding has been kept very safe at $6.50 with TAB on Thursday, owing to his class, and Gibbons said he’s excited to see what Mugatoo can produce in what appears to be perfect conditions.

Five of his nine wins have come on soft tracks and he has proven effective first-up in the past though obviously not coming off a tendon injury.

Mugatoo's trial at Scone on July 27

Gibbons, who opened his city account for the season with a double at Kensington on Wednesday, said he would like to see the horse hitting the line strongly.

“He obviously has a big weight but it is the perfect starting point,’’ he said.

“I would be surprised if Kris tells me to send him any message early, I’d say in the first half we will let him pick where he is comfortable and from there it’s a matter of giving him a momentum building run into the race.

“If things fall into place for him the way he’s been going at home we expect him to show something but we will be holding our breath to see how he goes under race conditions.”

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