Bid to take Contributer to Cleaner’s

TASMANIAN idol The Cleaner continues to defy nature – but can he defy Contributer at Moonee Valley today?

At age eight the “Longford Lion’’ is still growing, still improving according to his trainer Mick Burles.

“He’s back better and stronger this year even though he’s an eight-year-old – he’s still bigger,’’ Burles said.

The Cleaner beat Mourinho and Foreteller in last year’s Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes en route to an all-the-way JRA Cup win and fading ninth in the Cox Plate.

The bar seems to have been raised significantly this spring as The Cleaner embarks on the same Cox Plate path.

John O’Shea’s imported pair Contributer and Hartnell shape as a lethal Cups and Cox Plate tag team and both are expected to confirm their status as the locals to beat in those races in two states today.

Contributer cut a swathe through The Championships in Sydney last autumn, fending off the powerful Japanese and horses like Hartnell and Silent Achiever, and has been heavily backed to beat The Cleaner and Mourinho in the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley today.

The TAB reported Contributer had been well backed on Thursday and again yesterday to win the Dato and was last night a raging $1.80 favourite. He was also backed to win the Cox Plate, firming from $11 into $10 favouritism.

Jockey Dwayne Dunn has no doubt the “Contributer form’’ is significantly stronger than the Melbourne WFA form.

“It’s a class above. If Contributer gets the right sort of run I think he’ll prove it on Saturday,” Dunn said.

“The cream should rise to the top.’’

Dunn said Contributer’s gallop at Moonee Valley on Tuesday reaffirmed his class.

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