Chris Munce is looking forward to being reunited with surprise packet Gold Trail in Saturday's Group Two Expressway Stakes at Rosehill after watching from the sidelines when the four-year-old scored in the Canterbury Classic.The Gary Portelli-trained gelding, who took five races to break his maiden status, claimed the scalps of proven stakes performers Hurried Choice, Biscayne Bay and Hairy in the 1100-metre Listed race at Canterbury last Thursday.He edged out the promising Peter Snowden-trained

Chris Munce is looking forward to being reunited with surprise packet Gold Trail in Saturday's Group Two Expressway Stakes at Rosehill after watching from the sidelines when the four-year-old scored in the Canterbury Classic.

The Gary Portelli-trained gelding, who took five races to break his maiden status, claimed the scalps of proven stakes performers Hurried Choice, Biscayne Bay and Hairy in the 1100-metre Listed race at Canterbury last Thursday.

He edged out the promising Peter Snowden-trained three-year-old Desuetude by a short half-head as he clung to the lead in a dramatic finish in the Classic.

Corey Brown rode Gold Trail last start when Munce was sidelined because of a two-meeting suspension.

Gold Trail has won his last three starts with Munce booting him home in the first two of those.

The gelding faces another tough test against the likes of Group One winner Mentality but Munce is confident Gold Trail will measure up again in a race where there is sure to be plenty of speed with the frontrunning Queensland star Burdekin Blues expected to be in the line up.

"He's in a real purple patch and his fitness certainly gives him a chance," Munce said.

"If the Queenslander does show then I'm sure the pace will be solid and that suits our bloke nicely.

"Gary's doing a great job with him and so far I'm two from two so I'd like to keep that winning run going, and he'll be turning up to this race rock hard fit."

Portelli said Gold Trail had done well since the Canterbury victory and also believes fitness could give him the edge over his rivals in conditions that have been forecast to hit 40 degrees.

"It's only going to get tougher from here on and we want to strike while the iron is hot and with these hot conditions and him being as fit as he is and most of these resuming, he will give them something to catch," Portelli said.

"He's a genuine surprise packet this horse, he battled to win a maiden but since then he's never looked back.

"I think we'll probably go one more time and then have a little let-up and there's races like the Challenge Stakes which I think might suit."

The Group Two Challenge Stakes (1000m) is at Randwick on March 14.