With the spring carnival fast approaching, Nathan Doyle is keen to capitalise on current form by testing his progressive gelding Funshow in Saturday metropolitan races.

The son of Cosmic Force, who has been impressive in winning his last two starts by a combined 6-1/2 lengths, is slated to run in a Benchmark 72 event over 1500m for three and four-year-olds at Rosehill.

The race conditions are particularly suitable, as Saturday marks the commencement of the new racing season, and Funshow officially turns four years old.

“He seems to be trending the right way,” Doyle commented. “There’s nowhere to hide now, he’s probably at that level. He’s got to step up and go to that 72 grade, but he’s in good order and 1500 metres I think he’ll run out strongly.”

Following consecutive victories at Newcastle over 1300m and Hawkesbury over 1400m, Doyle has no reservations about Funshow extending to 1500m, especially with the $160,000 prizemoney on offer.

“He’s always shown us that he’d be a miler in time and he’s slowly getting there,” Doyle added. “It’s definitely the right time to try them. Obviously, it’s carnival time very soon, so you probably try them while those 72s are on a Saturday for the good prize money.”

Doyle also has the potential to field two other runners at Rosehill on Saturday, including the recent winner Silvanito, who is expected to contest another Benchmark 78 over 1400m.

“He finally drew a gate third up and we were able to ride him a little closer,” Doyle said of the former Godolphin gelding. “It’s the difference from being able to drag him back from bad gates and always hitting the line strongly but never getting the cash. He’s rock hard, race fit so the four weeks between runs won’t worry him.”

The stable might also be represented by Formal, who holds nominations for a Benchmark 78 sprint over 1100m at Rosehill and a race at Doomben, with his final program yet to be decided.

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