Evergreen sprinter Cocinero is on track to line up for his fourth crack at the Melbourne's summer sprints.Trainer Robbie Griffiths has been waiting for the tracks to dry out for the nine-year-old who will have his third run back from an 11-month break in Saturday's Johnstaff Projects Handicap (1200m) at Flemington.Despite Cocinero's advancing years, Griffiths and believes there is still a good race in the gelding who has won 11 races and more than $670,000."He is a genuine firm track horse and I
Evergreen sprinter Cocinero is on track to line up for his fourth crack at the Melbourne's summer sprints.
Trainer Robbie Griffiths has been waiting for the tracks to dry out for the nine-year-old who will have his third run back from an 11-month break in Saturday's Johnstaff Projects Handicap (1200m) at Flemington.
Despite Cocinero's advancing years, Griffiths and believes there is still a good race in the gelding who has won 11 races and more than $670,000.
"He is a genuine firm track horse and I have been waiting for the right surfaces for him," Griffiths said.
"It is debatable if it is going to be dry enough for him on Saturday but hopefully it will be OK."
Griffiths said the Listed Christmas Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Boxing Day and the Group Three Standish Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on New Year's Day were pencilled in as options for Cocinero in the next month.
Cocinero finished third in the Standish Handicap at the start of 2007 and won the Christmas Stakes (1200m) at the end of that year.
He also finished seventh in the 2008 Christmas Stakes.
This campaign he has been competitive with a first-up fifth to First Command at Caulfield on September 26 and ninth to King Carnage at Ballarat on November 21.
"He is good, the old bloke," Griffiths said.
"I am happy with him but he got too far back at Ballarat.
"He had a few weeks between runs and I reckon he just got a bit blase that day."
"He was beaten only 3-1/2 lengths so he went okay, but his trackwork indicates that he is going better than that."
Jamie Mott is one of seven jockeys to have won on Cocinero and he will be having only his second ride on him on Saturday.
His only association with the sprinter was when he steered him home in the Thoroughbred Club Cup (1200m) at Caulfield in March last year.
A three-time Flemington winner, Cocinero is around the middle of TAB Sportsbet's market at $12 while Gold In Dubai, who went down in a photo finish in last month's Launceston's Newmarket Handicap is the $4.40 favourite.
Offenders ($5) is resuming and has strong claims on his good first-up record of five starts for a win and four placings.