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By Ray Hickson

If there’s an art to placing your horse to advantage then trainer Jason Coyle will only be hoping he’s mastered it when Lulumon steps out at Rosehill on Saturday.

Coyle accepted with the four-year-old in the Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1100m), with Molly Bourke engaged, and the TAB Handicap (1200m), where she was third emergency, and he says she’ll hold her form in whichever race he selects.

It’s a choice he only needs to make once she’s secured the required scratchings to run in the latter and if she does Alysha Collett will continue her association following her first-up win.

The mare was well ed when she ran down Storm The Ramparts over 1000m at Gosford and Coyle said that win was something of a bonus in a race that’s since had a form upgrade.

“I still think it was a bit sharp for her, she was best on the day that was all,’’ he said.

“She was pretty forward, she’s a naturally forward horse hence you look at her record and go ‘okay she always races well fresh’.

“In transit she didn’t really find a comfortable zone, Alysha there midrace had to give away a length or so to get her to travel.

“She was good enough to come off the back of the second horse, who has come out and won since, so it was probably a bonus win for her.”

Lulumon has been a quiet achiever for Coyle, with four wins and eight placings from 16 starts, and she importantly excels when the tracks are rain affected.

She had only started once over 1000m prior to her fresh win and the Warwick Farm trainer said while he will have some thinking to do both races hold some appeal.

“I would have liked to draw a little bit softer, if she could get a barrier in 5-6-7 it would have set up perfectly,’’ he said.

“You’re still looking a little bit sticky but maybe wet tracks won’t make it so bad.

“She seems to handle all surfaces, I don’t think it’s too much of an issue what she races on, it’s just going to be where the damage is and where they figure the best part of the track is.

“Any horse is going to take natural improvement from a run and I don’t think she has to improve much in fitness or quality to say both those races, on the back of that first-up run, look suitable.”

Coyle said he’s flirted with the idea of sending Lulumon north to chase some black type this preparation but with her 76 rating he feels he can place her well in the short term.

The mare has won twice at 1300m and been placed at 1400m but he says the latter at this stage of her career sees her out, though he’s adamant she’s not done maturing.

“In the back of my mind I was thinking about Queensland but we’re still at a benchmark where we can compete in that system for now,’’ he said.

“It might be a matter of ticking her through and giving her a break and all systems go towards an autumn but that would depend where her benchmark gets to.

Lulumon wins at Gosford on May 10

“I think as she gets older she will furnish out a bit more. Drawing a line through a horse like White Moss I think she was as furnished a mare before she was retired than I’d ever seen her.

“Hopefully come the autumn you’ll see a stronger horse again.”

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