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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Clint Lundholm can’t quite put his finger on what turned Plenitude around after a failed Country Championships bid but he’s not about to question it as he eyes a deserved TAB Highway (1400m) win at Rosehill on Saturday.

Plenitude showed Lundholm some early promise, winning the Silver Goblet at two beating Hellfire Express, and took back-to-back wins into his first Highway attempt back in the spring.

The Dubbo trainer had high expectations that he could at least run second to Gallant Star in the WRA Country Championships earlier this year and while that didn’t happen he’s seen a different horse in his two recent Highway runs where he's raced without luck from the one barrier he'd prefer not to draw.

“I don’t know whether he’s just matured,’’ Lundholm said.

“He’s going away and eating up and doing well whereas before he wasn’t that great a doer and always a bit behind.

“This time around in his last couple of runs he’s come back from his trip and felt well. I know he’s deep into his preparation but it’s probably the best he’s raced in his career.”

Lundholm’s last TAB Highway winner was Smooth Esprit, who scored at Rosehill back in September 2022, and he said Plenitude, $6.50 with TAB on Wednesday, has been outstanding in defeat at Highway level of late.

Plenitude runs third at Randwick on May 24

He’s drawn barrier one in both his fifth behind McKeon at Gosford on May 10 and his third behind A Pound Of Salt at Randwick two weeks later and Lundholm said that’s contributed to bringing him undone.

“He’s the only horse you don’t want to be drawing one with and both starts he’s got trapped on the fence,’’ he said.

“You wouldn’t think it could happen to you twice but he’s been held up at crucial stages.

“You’d just love to have seen him build his revs and get the luck when he wanted it then it could have been a different story.

“He should be able to park one off the fence this time and hopefully get a better opportunity to get a crack at them. He’s a fit horse and he’s going well.”

Adam Hyeronimus has been on the four-year-old’s back in both Highway runs this campaign and Lundholm says barrier five is ideal as it should mean he’s not dictated to.

“These Highways are run at a genuine tempo, that’s all he needs,’’ he said.

“He’s a horse that can put himself close enough to the speed and he just needs to stay away from the fence and get an uninterrupted run where he can work through his gears.”

Lundholm won’t be at Rosehill to watch Plenitude race as he’ll once again be a special guest at Saturday’s Walgett Cup meeting where he’ll chase successive wins in the feature.

Macchina Volante will be his only runner at the meeting, Lundholm has reduced his numbers to around 28 at present while in a rebuilding phase, and it’ll be up to the eight-year-old to find his form in easier company than he’s met in two lead up runs.

“It’s a great day and I love supporting their meetings, hopefully we can go back-to-back,’’ he said.

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