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Stepping back from metropolitan racing, Michael Travers will be hoping Seasmoke can land a well-deserved win at Wagga on Saturday as he eyes the upcoming Subzero Handicap for his popular grey mare.

Before finishing down the track in a 1400m Class Two Highway Handicap at Rosehill Gardens on August 29, the 4YO Dracarys mare had been racing consistently.

As a Class One galloper, resuming in a 1200m Class Two Handicap at Narrandera on July 12 with Pierre Boudvillain aboard, Seasmoke raced wide and found the front before finishing second, beaten a half-length.

Then racing at Albury on August 18 in a 1400m Class One Handicap with Blaike McDougall riding, she found one better on the day, finishing a well-beaten second in heavy conditions to the Doug Gorrel-trained Fair Master.

Most recently racing in town, the Wagga galloper drew wide in a tough Highway Handicap, was forced to go back for Alysha Collett, and was never a winning chance.

Back in grade and distance, Seasmoke still runs into a nice race at Wagga when taking on the 1200m Benchmark 58 Handicap, which includes promising galloper Serenading from the Danny Beasley camp.

Still, Travers is confident in the mare’s ability and is dreaming of starting her in the 1400m Subzero Handicap at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day.

The race is restricted to greys, and Travers admitted it was a pipe dream but a goal for connections, who have enjoyed racing the consistent Seasmoke.

“We have always toyed with the idea of putting her in the greys’ race on Melbourne Cup Day,” Travers said.

“Whether she is good enough is another thing, but it would be a good experience for connections and that’s our current goal, but first, we need to win at Wagga.”

It’s been a somewhat frustrating preparation for Seasmoke, who has missed out on multiple runs due to abandoned meetings at Albury and Wagga.

Tough draws haven’t helped either, and while Travers conceded it was part and parcel of racing, he said the outside barrier would make things challenging on Saturday.

“We’ve just had bad barriers and had to scratch from Goulburn, but at some stage you have to go around and suck it up,” Travers said.

“At least being at Wagga, we walk across the road. It’s a good race and there are no easy races to win these days.

“These (Benchmark) 58s generally have a progressive type or two, and we’ll be hoping she can do her best and get the job done like we know she can.”

Reigning NSW jockey of the year Pierre Boudvillain will jump back aboard Seasmoke ($12), and Travers said it would be up to the Frenchman to navigate his way from what will most likely be gate 11 of 11.

“I won’t be giving him instructions; I’ll just tell him good luck,” Travers laughed.

“It is one of those gates where he will have to make a decision in the first 100m, whether he can find a spot midfield, take a sit deep and find some cover, or just go back. But that will be up to him.”

Travers has a strong team entered at Wagga, with Not Guilty (Michael Heagney, $4.60) contesting the 1200m Maiden Handicap, Iroqaui (Blaike McDougall, $11) in the 1000m Class One Handicap, and Cinephile (Pierre Boudvillain, $16) in either the 2000m Benchmark 58 Handicap, where he is an emergency, or alternatively, the 1600m Benchmark 58 Handicap.

Not Guilty is well placed after the 5YO Shamus Award gelding made his stable debut in a 1000m Maiden Plate at Gundagai on September 6, finding the front after getting through some work and only going down 1.38 lengths to impressive winner Tallingas Avanati.

“They are all chances, but Not Guilty is my best,” Travers said.

"He did really well at Gundagai; he did all the hard yards, put paid to the odds-on favourite, and looked the winner but got beaten by a horse that looks to be pretty handy.

“He’s done everything right since then, and all he has to do is reproduce that effort and he’ll be hard to beat.”

Travers won’t be at Wagga on Saturday for the popular Aggies Race Day and will instead be in Sydney, where he will start the in-form Teresprit (Louise Day, $81) in the 1000m Class Three Highway Handicap.

The 5YO Territories mare has been a picture of consistency since winning a 1000m Benchmark 50 Handicap at Gundagai on June 27, running placings at Wagga in July and Gundagai and Corowa in August.

“With any luck, she wins her next race, and the reason we are going to Sydney is that it is the only race around for her,” Travers said.

“There’s nothing around here for the next two to three weeks, and to be honest, I nominated thinking she would get balloted, but she’s got a run and we are heading down today and will have a throw at the stumps tomorrow.”

Words/Image: Jeff Hanson