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By Graeme White

Evergreen sprinter Mr Moppett looks to have an edge in class on his rivals in the Leeton Soldiers Club Stan Axtill Memorial Benchmark 82 (1150m) on Tuesday.

Mr Moppett’s only start at Leeton resulted in a win five years ago when he was prepared by the late Phil Sweeney.

Mr Moppett ($8 into $7 on TAB) is now trained by Paul McVicar and will be ridden by John Kissick who is yet to miss a top three finish on the gelding.

Mr Moppett (Tim Clark) heads to the barriers at Warwick Farm. Image by Bradley Photographers

“I have ridden him three times for a win, a second and a third. His win at Narrandera two starts ago with 64kg showed he is still very capable at this level of racing," Kissick said.

"My main worry is the 1150m, I’m not sure if he will run it right out.”

Mr Moppett is nearing $300,000 in earnings and has lived up to the expectations of his connections who bred him from the seven-time winner, Sweet Emily.

She won seven of her 23 starts and from one of her first matings produced Mr Moppett.

The veteran galloper had his first run in March 2020 and won his second start in a feature race at Orange when ridden by a young Tyler Schiller who was indentured to Phil Sweeney at the time.

Main dangers include last start winner Destiny’s Bounty ($7), Blitzar ($7.50) and Who But Roo ($19). The latter is prepared by Geoff Crowthers who recently trained his first winning double at Goulburn.

Apprentice jockey Teaghan Martin will reduce Who But Roo’s weight to 57kg after her claim – a 5kg advantage over Mr Moppett.

In his 52-start career, Mr Moppett has finished in the top three placings 20 times. He has also won two editions of the Gundagai Tuckerbox (2022 and 2023) and ran second last year.

Kissick is in winning touch with a treble at Corowa last week and another two winners shortly after propelling him up the premiership table.

Jockey Pierre Boudvillain will ride Mojo Music ($9.50) as he looks to build on a rapid start to the new season. He has already ridden 20 winners and 36 placegetters to sit third in the NSW premiership.

Last year the Stan Axtill Memorial was won by Epaullo Creed who has since gone on to win a further two times.

Violet and Blue is the $3.20 favourite in the Southern Central Engineering Benchmark 58 (1050m) with a good record. From her past eight starts, she hasn’t finished further back than fourth which includes three wins for trainer Kathryn Cahill.

Apprentice jockey Ella Bent has already ridden three winners from 14 rides and will partner with Violet and Blue.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Leeton here