The Richard and Chantelle Jolly -trained Pudding will chase a second win at Sandown in consecutive starts when he lines up on Saturday.
Pudding heads to the Sportsbet Race Replays Handicap (1800m), the same trip he was successful over on May 25.
The race holds similar conditions to the last time Pudding was in Melbourne, the only difference Richard Jolly can see this time is a slightly tougher race combined with an 1kg in weight.
Jolly was in Vietnam when Pudding was successful three weeks ago and only returned to his Morphettville stable on Monday to see a horse in good order.
“It’s a harder race this time, even though it’s the same conditions,” Jolly said.
“There’s a few more horses that have come from different places, but the horse looks well.
“He’s right at his peak and we’ve been happy with him between runs, so there’s no reason why he won’t give a good account of himself.
“He should get a good run. He’s a horse that can adapt to leading or sitting off the speed.”
Pudding’s form in Adelaide in the lead-up to his Sandown win had looked disappointing on paper, but Jolly said there had been extenuating circumstances.
Bad barriers, combined with slow pace, had seen Pudding get too far out of his ground before he was able to lead throughout at Sandown.
Pudding is unbeaten in his last three starts at 1800m, twice at Morphettville last year.
“I really think he will go 2000 metres, but we just haven’t got him to that stage yet,” Jolly said.
“Those races in Adelaide, he was going OK in them, but he drew some shocking gates in them early, so his form was better than it looks.
“The first time he got things to suit was at Sandown last time.
“I haven’t looked past Saturday, but at some stage we will back off and give him a freshen up.
“He might end up being a nice Country Cups type of horse at 2000 metres, and they run them for good money.”
