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By Ray Hickson

Another strong performance from Compelling Truth in one of the state’s feature country sprints in the south on Thursday could lead to him targeting one of the north’s iconic sprints this winter.

Trainer Mack Griffith has had no qualms about hitting the road with the five-year-old, who has had three runs back in Brisbane this autumn, and he’s confident the $200,000 Tooheys Wagga Town Plate (1200m) is within reach.

And it’s that race which will tell him whether the Listed Ramornie Handicap (1200m) in July is a good fit – he won the Kirby on the Grafton Cup undercard last year.

“In his last preparation we picked off low hanging fruit and took him anywhere to win a race,’’ Griffith said.

“Now we know what his ability is we can be a bit more selective and aim him at races.

“If he matches up to this sort of field the Ramornie is a race he could aim at if his form warrants it.”

Compelling Truth has won 10 of his 19 starts for Griffith, he started his career with Annabel Neasham, and it was around this time last year that he began his rise winning six of his seven starts on his way to running in The Kosciuszko.

The Mudgee trainer was rapt with his last start win over 1200m at Eagle Farm on April 5, where he ran down subsequent stakes winner King Kapa, and he’s bringing jockey Bailey Wheeler, who is two from two on the horse, with him to Wagga.

Compelling Truth wins at Eagle Farm on April 5

“Once he came back into work and was going as well as he was it was the logical step for him,’’ he said.

“His three runs back in Brisbane have all been around horses that have gone on and franked the form so he’s come back in great order.

“He showed he’s not a one trick pony and doesn’t have to lead all the time. He can sit off the speed and can find the line pretty strong.

“It was another great result because it showed how tough he is.”

Griffith said Compelling Truth, $5 with TAB on Tuesday, isn’t badly weighted on 56.5kg with a 3.5kg advantage on the horse he feels is his hardest to beat.

That’s the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained The Instructor who was also an acceptor for Warrnambool’s feature sprint on Wednesday.

Regardless of that horse’s presence, he said drawing the middle is a plus for his horse and he can only expect him to hold form.

“It’s harder to keep winning when you get up in grade,’’ he said.

“I don’t want him being cluttered up so I’m not overly concerned about the draw. He’s fit and well and his work has been up to scratch.”

All the fields, form and replays for Thursday's Wagga meeting