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By Ray Hickson

If progressive stayer Thebudgiesmugla is faced with a genuine staying test at Rosehill on Saturday then jockey Dylan Gibbons says the former Kiwi will be right in his element.

The lightly raced gelding has raced just twice for Bjorn Baker since being identified by Darby Racing and Gibbons has learned plenty about him in those two races for a first-up second and a win at Rosehill just over a week ago.

He’ll face a rise in weight in the Chandon Handicap (2400m) but one thing the jockey can be sure of is he’ll just keep going and if that’s what is required then Gibbons will be more than happy.

“He doesn’t give you an amazing feel the way he moves but he doesn’t seem to get tired,’’ he said.

“He keeps grinding when you think he might be on empty. I galloped him during the week and was happy with his work there so I’m going in with a bit of confidence.”

Thebudgiesmugla’s first-up second over 2000m at Hawkesbury was on a good track and Gibbons said he did a stellar job under 61.5kg to close the race off.

He was presented with a deteriorating track at Rosehill in a Benchmark 78, the same grade as Saturday’s race where he was $2.60 with TAB on Thursday, and he revelled in it winning as easily as he wanted.

Thebudgiesmugla wins at Rosehill on October 29

The question Gibbons wants answered in his upcoming assignment is if he can produce something like that on top of the ground and if he can then he could be a horse to work his way into better company in 2026.

He's been identified as a potential Sydney Cup prospect by the Baker stable but he still has some grades to progress through first.

“He’s a really progressive stayer. He was helped the other day, I think wet tracks are going to be his best assets,’’ Gibbons said.

“It was a small field and there wasn’t a lot of depth to it but I don’t think he runs into the strongest race again. I wouldn’t mind a bit of rain around for him but I still think he’s a good enough stayer to produce on top of the ground too.

“He’s done a good job running first-up over 2000m and went straight up in trip second up.

“You don’t see that too often and you’ve got to have a bit of ability on your side to get away with that.”

Gibbons is quietly confident that Snow In May has the right platform to be a threat in the Group 2 $500,000 Cincotta Chemist Hot Danish Stakes (1400m).

The mare has been under the radar this spring, not helped by wide gates in two of her three runs, and she was forced to race three and four wide when only beaten four lengths by stablemate Linebacker in the Silver Eagle.

“It was a fantastic run, she was caught deep the whole way and didn’t have anything go her way,’’ Gibbons said.

“I was pleased to see her draw a nice gate, it’ll give her a chance.

“She’s been racing well without luck this preparation. Hopefully she can get a nicer run and that will see her, especially in fillies and mares grade, run up to her best.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s meeting at Rosehill