Nine Tales may have a crack at the Winter Championship Series providing the tracks aren't too wet but first he must overcome a wide draw if he is to win second-up at Caulfield on Saturday.The Tale Of The Cat five-year-old, who took out the Group Three Race-Tech Stakes (1500m) at Sandown before being spelled last spring, resumed with a solid long neck second to Life To The Full in the Pink Ribbon Cup (1200m) at Caulfield on April 17.After looking the winner the gelding, who also jumped from barri

Nine Tales may have a crack at the Winter Championship Series providing the tracks aren't too wet but first he must overcome a wide draw if he is to win second-up at Caulfield on Saturday.

The Tale Of The Cat five-year-old, who took out the Group Three Race-Tech Stakes (1500m) at Sandown before being spelled last spring, resumed with a solid long neck second to Life To The Full in the Pink Ribbon Cup (1200m) at Caulfield on April 17.

After looking the winner the gelding, who also jumped from barrier 12 on that occasion, was swamped late by the fast-finishing Life To The Full.

"He's drawn a bad gate (12 of 13) and I'm hoping he can slot in somewhere," trainer Mick Price said of his assignment in Saturday's Michael Mulcahy Hcp (1400m).

Craig Newitt, who has been on Nine Tales in five of his six wins including the Race-Tech Stakes, replaces Matt Allen who rode him first-up.

Among his rivals on Saturday is the free-going Race-Tech Stakes runner-up Jungle Ruler who meets Nine Tales 3kg better for a three-quarter length defeat on that occasion.

Jungle Ruler finished 15th of 16 when second-up in the Pink Ribbon but returned to form last Saturday when a close third to Conquering over 1500m at Sandown.

The Lion Hunter six-year-old entire will again be ridden by the in-form Darren Gauci.

Price said the problem with Nine Tales contesting the Winter Championship Series was that he is not a genuinely good wet-tracker.

"His job is just to win some nice races in the next couple of months and we've probably got to dodge the wet tracks with him," he said.

"He's been consistent since he has been gelded and he won a nice Group Three race at the end of the carnival last spring.

"He needs a nice run in the race on Saturday to win but I was really happy with his first-up run, he's trained on okay and he just needs a bit of luck in running."

The first of six Winter Championship heats is over 1300m at Bendigo on May 20 with other heats at Cranbourne (1400m) on May 30, Flemington (1400m) on June 12, Seymour (1400m) on June 17, Ballarat (1600m) on June 24 and Flemington (1400m) on June 26.

The Listed $200,000 Final is run over 1600m at Flemington on July 10.

Nine Tales is $3.80 favourite for Saturday's race with TAB Sportsbet ahead of Skiddaw Peak at $5.50, Jungle Ruler and Sparkling Satine at $7.50 with Red Hustler at $10.