Grant Cooksley isn't the only one who thinks Envoy feels better than he did just before he won last year's Wellington Cup.
Trainer Ken Kelso thinks so as well.
Which is why the TAB bookmakers have dramatically trimmed Envoy in from $10 to $5.50 for Saturday's $300,000 CityCentury Developments Wellington Cup after the veteran stayer took the $80,000 Trentham Stakes.
"He felt better than he did a year ago," said jockey Cooksley after the win.
Kelso believes that as dramatic as Envoy's win was 12 months ago, the horse has had a better preparation this time.
"Last year he had run in the Adelaide Cup, then had a Melbourne Cup preparation, which meant the Wellington Cup was his third 3200m race in a year."
Envoy started a Melbourne Cup prep again, but Kelso brought him home from Australia when the horse refused to eat properly.
"Because of his lead-up he raced a bit dour last year. This time there's more zip in him," Kelso said.
In the Trentham Stakes, Cooksley made a startling mid-race move on Envoy to inject more speed into what was developing into a sit-and-sprint 2400m.
The move worked out perfectly and Envoy had enough left to comfortably hold out the favourite Kerry O'Reilly.
The TAB moved Willy Smith into outright $4.50 favouritism for the Wellington Cup after the big stayer's effort to finish a close third to Envoy and Kerry O'Reilly.
Willy Smith finished strongly and looked as though he would appreciate the 3200m this week.
So You, who shared early favouritism with Willy Smith, has been eased to $6 and Australian stayer Respect shortened into $7 after a gallop between races on Saturday that seemed to please the jockey, Opie Bosson.
