Racing: Sydney stakes test for Our Big Mike

Our Big Mike lines up in the WJ McKell Cup at Rosehill today. Photo / Trish Dunell

Our Big Mike had a successful summer campaign in Australia late last year and his connections are hoping to replicate those results in the coming month.

The Craig and Shaun Phelan-trained gelding placed in two runs in Melbourne before winning the Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m) in December and he could add another stakes win to his tally when he lines up in the Listed WJ McKell Cup (2400m) at Rosehill today.

The son of Don Eduardo arrived in Sydney on Monday night and Shaun Phelan said he has settled in well to his new surroundings at Jim and Greg Lee's Randwick stables.

"He seems all good and is bright enough. We are happy with the way he has settled in."

Our Big Mike was disappointing when tailing the field home two starts back in the Group 2 Easter Handicap (1600m) at Ellerslie, but a 3 length victory over 2100m at Te Rapa earlier this month was enough to secure his ticket across the Tasman.

"It was a bit of a mishap of going too hard out in front in a good race on a hard track [in the Easter Handicap]," Phelan said. "I think he just looked after himself.

"At Te Rapa, he covered our reason to bring him over to Australia. We knew we were on the right track with him."

The 6-year-old gelding will jump from barrier five today with expat New Zealand jockey Sam Weatherley aboard. Phelan is happy with his charge heading into the race, however, he was hoping the predicted rain would arrive before the weekend.

"Barrier five is the perfect draw for him. We are expecting a bit of rain before the weekend, which would be good for us.

"The sting out of the ground would be ideal for him.

"I'm pretty confident heading into Saturday, I don't know too much about the form, but we know our horse is ready and we think it's the right race for him."

Our Big Mike is likely to have two further runs in Australia, with Phelan hoping to cap off his campaign with a trip north to the Sunshine State.

"We would have liked to have got to Brisbane with him, but the flights weren't right for us," Phelan said. "We won't be able to back him up in the Brisbane Cup [Group 2, 2400m], I think it will be too soon.

"There is a race here in two weeks called the Winter Cup [Listed, 2400m] and there's also races like the Caloundra Cup [Listed, 2400m], so we might get him up there [Queensland] later on.

Our Big Mike was joined on his flight to Sydney by former stablemate Notabadidea, who has transferred to Randwick trainers Jim and Greg Lees.

"Notabadidea has travelled over with him, but he is actually changing over to [Jim and] Greg Lees because there are no ideal races for him in New Zealand," Phelan said.

"There are so many options for a horse like that over here."

- NZ Racing Desk