Nigel Blackiston is aiming to be the first trainer in more than 30 years to win the VRC St Leger Stakes in consecutive years.Duel Lover, a bargain buy who cost just $NZ2000 at a New Zealand Breeze Up sale, flies the flag for Blackiston in Wednesday's time-honoured 2800-metre Classic after the stable won the race last year with Right Of Refusal.The legendary Tommy Smith was the last trainer to win the race year to year when Shogun (1980) saluted and Rio De Janeiro (1981) was successful.Smith also

Nigel Blackiston is aiming to be the first trainer in more than 30 years to win the VRC St Leger Stakes in consecutive years.

Duel Lover, a bargain buy who cost just $NZ2000 at a New Zealand Breeze Up sale, flies the flag for Blackiston in Wednesday's time-honoured 2800-metre Classic after the stable won the race last year with Right Of Refusal.

The legendary Tommy Smith was the last trainer to win the race year to year when Shogun (1980) saluted and Rio De Janeiro (1981) was successful.

Smith also won the race in 1965 and 1966 with Versailles and Prince Grant respectively while Bart Cummings, who has won the race a record seven times, scored back-to-back wins with Lord Dudley and Vacuum in 1976 and 1977.

Kel Chapman is the only other trainer since 1950 to win consecutive St Legers with Chicola (1959) and Nilarco (1960).

Blackiston is mindful of the difficulty of finding a three-year-old good enough to win a St Leger but believes Duel Lover was born to stay and deserves his chance.

"He is an out-and-out stayer," Blackiston said.

"The thing about him is he is a bit like an Ethiopian marathon runner in that he is lightly framed."

Duel Lover was unplaced at his first four starts but at his first start beyond 1600 metres won by six lengths over 2010 metres at Wangaratta and two starts ago scored over 2200 metres at Ballarat on April 5.

"Really he has done nothing wrong so far and we've always had the St Leger as the main goal this preparation," Blackiston said.

Duel Lover is among the more-fancied runners at $8.

Only last-start Listed Galilee Series Final (2400m) winner Backbone ($3.50) and third placegetter Vatuvei ($6) along with Starkiato ($6.50) are ahead of him in TAB Sportsbet's market.

Last start Starkiato finished second to Streets of Seattle in the open-age Premier Signs Handicap (2400m) at Sandown on April 18 while Blackiston is prepared to overlook Duel Lover's seventh in the race.

"He just struggled coming down the hill and lost his position a little bit, but he did finish off quite nicely," Blackiston said.

Blackiston is also encouraged by the wet week Melbourne is having given Duel Lover's ability on rain-affected ground.

"He loves the wet and the wetter the better for him," Blackiston said.

"We had a fair bit of rain at Flemington this morning and if it keeps coming, which they are tipping, it will certainly be in his favour."

Blackiston maybe going for his second win as a trainer in the St Leger but he has also had an association with another winner Shiva's Revenge who won in 1991 for Cummings when Blackiston saddled the horse in his role as stable foreman.

Blackiston said that joining Cummings, Smith and Chapman as a trainers of consecutive St Leger winners was a challenge but if he could pull it off it would be a special accomplishment.

"It would be a nice group of people to be joining, that's for sure," Blackiston said.