Brent Stanley has big team set for Bendigo

Trainer Brent Stanley will field a strong team at Bendigo including Red Alto and Violate.

Red Alto will attempt a rare Bendigo double when he runs in the Listed Golden Mile.

Last spring Red Alto won the Bendigo Cup (2400m) and on Saturday forms part of a two-pronged attack on the Golden Mile (1600m) for trainer Brent Stanley.

Red Alto is preparing for a trip to Brisbane for the winter carnival and will be joined on Saturday by Violate who is on a path to the Doncaster Mile at Randwick..

Bendigo is considered the home track for Stanley who prepares his team on a private training set-up at Sutton Grange, a 35 minute float trip away.

Red Alto resumed at Flemington in Listed company finishing ninth behind Widgee Turf over 1400m on March 16.

Stanley said Red Alto would appreciate the distance rise but remains concerned the gelding may want further.

“He’s got the ability to win so it wouldn’t surprise me,” Stanley said.

“He’s fit enough, but it all depends on how the race is run as to how he’ll go.”

Red Alto carries 58kg on Saturday with Violate allocated 60kg.

Violate won first-up over 1400m in the Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap at Flemington on March 2 with Stanley angling for a start in the All-Star Mile two weeks later.

The invitation did not eventuate so Violate went to Sydney for the Ajax Stakes, finishing eighth behind Fifty Stars at Rosehill on heavy ground.

“He gets through it (the heavy) but doesn’t enjoy it,” Stanley said.

“I still thought he ran all right though.

“Hopefully he wins on Saturday and then we can go back to Sydney for the Doncaster.”

Stanley has Bendigo plans with four other runners on Saturday.

He is expecting improvement from Invincible Lotus in the VOBIS Gold Rush after the filly failed to handle wet ground in the Magic Night Quality on March 16.

“She’ll go to the Percy Sykes all going well, but that will be weather dependent,” Stanley said.

He has Smart Horse entered for the Bendigo Guineas and said the three-year-old is living up to his name.

However he is concerned the gelding may be too far down the ballot order while Stanley’s other runners are Lucky Fish in the RSN Racing Handicap and Critical Thinking in the Underground Cable Systems Handicap.