Racing: Bowman confident of chances

Racing To Win is giving jockey Hugh Bowman that winning feeling again but the 7-year-old grey faces a tough mission in the Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington today.

Multiple Group One winner Racing To Win is rated a A$15 chance on TAB Sportsbet with Rangirangdoo the clear A$3.40 favourite for the 2000m weight-for-age feature.

Bowman admits that he's biased when it comes to talking about one of his favourite horses but he's been impressed with Racing To Win's build-up this week.

"I was very encouraged by his work this week. On Tuesday morning his work reminded me of what he did going into the Theo Marks," Bowman said.

"He was very relaxed and he really ripped home in the last couple of furlongs and that was very encouraging for me.

"If circumstances fall into place for him I wouldn't be at all surprised if the horse won. "He's a top-liner and you can't write him off."

The John O'Shea-trained Racing To Win is coming off a 10th in the Toorak Handicap (1600m) in which he settled near the tail of the field from his wide alley, 10, and was never in the hunt.

Prior to that he beat just one runner home in the Group One George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on September 26.

"I was happy with his run in the Toorak, it was probably a race he couldn't win from the draw but I was happy with his performance," Bowman said.

"But the George Main was a disaster for him."

Two weeks before the George Main, Racing To Win rocketed home to win the Group Two Theo Marks (1400m) at Rosehill.

He easily defeated Rock Kingdom who went on to score in the Epsom Handicap at his next start.

"I just keep thinking about that Theo Marks run and if he can replicate that he'll win this," Bowman said.

Racing To Win has three wins over 1600m but is yet to win beyond that trip.

"The 2000 metres is a bit of a query with him but he ran a super race behind Scenic Shot in the Doomben Cup and Scenic Shot's form has been cemented," Bowman said.

Scenic Shot won the PJ O'Shea Stakes (2200m) and the Brisbane Cup (2400m) at his next two starts after beating Racing To Win by a nose in the 2020m Doomben Cup and was fifth to So You Think in the Cox Plate last Saturday.

The Daniel Morton-trained Scenic Shot is at A$9 with TAB Sportsbet for the Mackinnon.

Glen Boss rode Racing To Win in four of his Group One wins which include the 2006 Epsom Handicap while Bowman was aboard for his last top-flight victory in last year's All-Aged Stakes.

- AAP