For 15 months, Luke Price has been confident Our Bambino will develop into a city-class horse.
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For 15 months the gelding seemingly did everything possible to ensure that didn't happen.
Every time Price thought he had turned the corner with the horse, Our Bambino produced a disappointing performance.
Finally, however, the trainer is confident the four-year-old has started developing into a consistent horse.
A win at Hawkesbury last month was followed by a fighting second-place finish on the Kensington track on Anzac Day.
With Our Bambino lining up in a 2100 metres benchmark 78 at Gosford's standalone Saturday meeting, Price is eager to see the gelding produce a third-straight podium finish.
"As long as the rain doesn't go up that way, he should run extremely well," Price said.
"He has a good barrier, the jockey knows him, if the rain stays away, I'm looking to see him step up to that Saturday city company."
If he does that, a trip to Brisbane might be on the cards.
"He's at the back-end of his prep, but he's showing no signs of trailing off. He's a tough horse and has done well, we might reassess our plans if he comes out and wins.
"We might shoot him up for a minor stakes race in Queensland. We have to get through Saturday first, hopefully he can put another one together."
Price's comments came as Thursday's Kembla Grange meeting was washed out.
The Illawarra trainers did, however, have a heavy presence in Wagga for the first day of the Cup Carnival.
There were a number of near misses, the Price-trained Verbek finishing second in the first. Paul Murray's Devil Dan also fought hard to run fourth in a 2000m benchmark 66.
The day's feature race, the Wagga Town Plate was won in dominant fashion by favourite Marway.
The gelding held off a fast-finishing Count De Rupee to prevail in his last start, however there was no catching Marway on Thursday, winning by four lengths.
"That was bloody terrific," breeder and owner Greg Sturgiss said.
"I know he's good. He's won 12 for us now. He goes well and we thought he had a good chance.
"You can't get much better than that."
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