Bel Burgess lines up big Caulfield pay day

Not only is Bel Burgess after a fifth-straight win but also his biggest pay day when he contests the VOBIS Gold Mile at Caulfield.

Bel Burgess, who started his winning streak at Echuca in February, collected $22,000 for his last start Sandown success, his biggest payout, and on Saturday lines up for a first prize of $137,500.

Trainer Michael Roebuck also had Bel Burgess nominated for a benchmark 78 race on Saturday, but with that race carrying total prize money of $60,000, he elected to chase the richer purse.

“When I looked at the nominations in the 78 race I thought we could run into horses like Milwaukee, which won the Bendigo Guineas,” Roebuck said.

“While it didn’t accept I thought this is why owners pay up for VOBIS Gold so we might as well have a crack at it.

“We’ve got a horse that has won four in a row and we can always drop him back to a 78 race if he doesn’t measure up.

“You don’t get many of these opportunities and we’ve got a horse in form.”

A major stumbling block for Bel Burgess and the opposition is Burning Front who has made a habit of winning through the VOBIS Gold scheme.

Burning Front is a dual Group Three winner and under the set weights conditions meets his rivals on level weight terms.

Burning Front is the $1.70 favourite with Bel Burgess an $11 chance.

Even running second to Burning Front would earn Bel Burgess more prize money than first in the benchmark 78 race.

“You would be delusional to say you could beat Burning Front at level weights but there’s $45,000 for second which is more than if he won the other race,” Roebuck said.

“He’s trained on well and with that mile run under the belt last time he should be a little bit tougher.”