Brett Lazzarini reckons Mancconi is due a slice of luck.
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At start 15, the four-year-old gelding certainly hasn't been offered any favours at Kembla Grange on Saturday, drawing barrier 12.
He's on the short back-up after slogging it out on a Heavy 9 over 1100m, finishing eighth behind John Thompson's Deep Finesse on the Easter Monday card at Warwick Farm.
During the preparation, Mancconi has already finished second twice at Sapphire Coast and Wagga, in a career which has delivered six placings.
"He's the stable favourite, he's a real character," Lazzarini said. "But he's always been a bit unlucky or run into one or two better, hopefully Saturday is the day.
"He's not the most talented horse, but he pays his own way. By the last the gate might help."
While Mancconi was outclassed running on the inferior ground last start, stablemate Berenike has also locked horns with Deep Finesse, when she was nosed out for third by the three-year-old colt on debut at Canberra.
Berenike has since boxed on for third at Nowra (1100m) on Sunday, having worked to cross the field and lead, sticking to the task behind Heavenly Prophet, now with Norm Lewis after previously being with the Hawkes stable and Bondadosa, trained by Jason Clisby.
"She was going to the paddock, but she came through so well," Lazzarini said.
"We waited until (Thursday) to make a decision but her work was great, she's drawn a gate and shown she can handle the Heavy track."
Paul Murray's three-year-old gelding Espirito is among the leading contenders, after finishing second behind the Robert and Luke Price-trained Verbek, who broke through for his first win, at Wagga earlier this month.
The Prices have three runners in the same race, including debutants Hotlips Houlihan and Noble Attack, as well as Rare Beauty first-up from a spell.
Verbek has advanced to Saturday's Class 1 (1300m) at Kembla Grange and has drawn gate 11 with Brock Ryan aboard.
Meanwhile, Kerry Parker is chasing yet more success at Randwick, when Tampering contests a Benchmark 78 over 1600m.
Parker celebrated what was the win of the autumn carnival when Nash Rawiller went to the grandstand rail on Think It Over to take out the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes earlier this month.
Claiming two kilograms with Reece Jones aboard, Tampering is around the $14 mark, with John O'Shea's Diamil a $2.30 favourite.
KEMBLA GRANGE
Saturday
Eight-race card
First race: 12.15pm
Track: Heavy 9
Rail: Out three metres (1000m to winning post)
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