Melbourne-based sprinter Odyssey Moon completed his preparation for Saturday's Group I Telegraph Handicap (1200m) in New Zealand with a gallop at Cambridge on Tuesday morning.
Odyssey Moon claimed the Group III Standish Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on New Year's Day, which convinced the stallion's connections to chase a Group I win at Trentham.
The Robert Smerdon-trained galloper has settled into the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman stable at Cambridge before working over 1000m, covering the trip in 1:07 and running the final 600m in 37 seconds.
Smerdon's Ballarat stable foreman Simon Morrish oversaw Odyssey Moon's work and told The Informant the work was only a maintenance gallop.
"He had a good blowout at Sandown before getting on the plane last week, so it was only a maintenance gallop this morning," Morrish said
"He was a bit unfamiliar with the plough track and the other horse probably worked a bit better, but it was all he needed.
"The track rider was happy and his recovery rate was good. He's very well and in a good frame of mind.
"He knows he's a boy and is starting to realise what he's on this earth for, but he's still very kind and manageable."
Noel Callow, who was aboard Odyssey Moon in his Standish Handicap success, will travel to New Zealand to ride the four-year-old on Saturday.
Local betting agencies have Odyssey Moon as an $8 chance to claim the $NZ250,000 feature.
