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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Pat Murphy has one eye on next month’s Snake Gully Cup with in-form four-year-old Body Bob if he continues his rise at Kensington on Wednesday.

The gelding is unbeaten in three runs since arriving at Murphy’s Goulburn yard and is chasing successive city wins in the James Squire Handicap (1300m).

It was something of a surprise win at Canterbury three weeks ago, at least to punters, when Body Bob led all the way to hand Murphy his first city success and the expectation is a little higher now.

“I’m going to Sydney confident the horse can win,’’ he said.

“They’re saying there’s a bit of rain around which he loves. I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes back to back then it will get harder to pick and choose where we go.”

Murphy showed his hand a little when he nominated Body Bob for a Benchmark 78 at Rosehill this weekend that he thinks the horse can climb a couple more rungs at least.

He was sent to Murphy by owner Alan Stephenson due to the gelding’s penchant for running off the track in Victoria, where he was trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, and he hasn’t looked back.

“Alan races a lot with Trent Busuttin, I’ve had a few that have come through the cracks,’’ he said.

Body Bob wins at Canterbury on September 13

“He rang me up and said the horse had been running off the track and ended up getting a warning. He sent him up here to get him going the Sydney direction and it’s been the making of the horse.

“Normally when you get them from those trainers you’re not going to improve them a lot but I think I have him at that maturity stage and he’s just a happy horse with a lot of scope.”

The Snake Gully Cup (1400m), a Big Dance eligible race for 2024, is run at Gundagai on November 17 and the race is on the radar partially because Body Bob won his first race for Murphy at the unique track.

While he started $15 in his Canterbury victory, where he crossed from a wide gate and led all way to an almost four length win, it’s earned him more respect as a $6 chance with TAB on Tuesday.

Murphy said he's not concerned about rising 3kg as he’ll present an ever better horse at Kensington now that he’s near peak fitness and will look to find the fence in front again.

“I knew the horse was getting to his right fitness levels, he’s a big horse, and we could use those tactics to put a bit of pressure on,’’ he said.

“That’s hard to do in Sydney because there’s usually a few following but we pulled that one off. That wasn’t his top either.

“I don’t think we will change much, he’ll just use that cruising speed.

“He’s not a bolter, he goes through his gears nicely.

“They’ll be pretty silly to take him on, we’ll roll to the front anyway. I’m happy to have the fence there in case he wants to lay in.”

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday’s Kensington meeting