Mick O'Leary makes the 5-1/2 hour journey from Mount Gambier to Flemington on Saturday with stable star Royal Ida who will attempt to win his 16th race in the Chester Manifold Stakes.The winner of more than $570,000 from 43 career starts will be after his ninth black-type success having won the 2006 Group Three Spring Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville and seven Listed races in Adelaide.The gelding was Group One-placed when third to Let Go Thommo in the 2007 The Goodwood (1200m) and has won three C

Mick O'Leary makes the 5-1/2 hour journey from Mount Gambier to Flemington on Saturday with stable star Royal Ida who will attempt to win his 16th race in the Chester Manifold Stakes.

The winner of more than $570,000 from 43 career starts will be after his ninth black-type success having won the 2006 Group Three Spring Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville and seven Listed races in Adelaide.

The gelding was Group One-placed when third to Let Go Thommo in the 2007 The Goodwood (1200m) and has won three Christmas Handicaps and three Durbridge Stakes in South Australia.

"We love him dearly here, he's been with us for a long time and even this morning when we lunged him, as we do the day before he races, and washed and cleaned him up he knew he was going to the races," O'Leary said.

"He went down to his little paddock and he took off like he was a three-year-old."

The Star Pyramul eight-year-old finished eighth in last year's Chester Manifold (1410m) won by Stickpin and O'Leary concedes he has the job ahead after drawing the outside barrier in the 15-horse field.

"You would like to think he could draw between four and eight which would have been a big help," O'Leary said.

"I always hate those wide barriers. There's 14 horses drawn inside him who all go pretty good and he's going to have to get up around them and get up there somewhere so it's going to make it very tough on him."

Michael Rodd will have his first ride on Royal Ida who is a winner over Saturday's 1410m trip at Flemington.

The gelding also ran a close third to Manifold rival Count To Zero in the Group Three Ellerston Stakes (1400m) at Flemington in November 2007.

"I don't know whether he's going as well as he was a couple of years ago, but he's still going pretty fair. All we know is he's a nice each-way chance and he'll be there to do his best," O'Leary said.

"I'd have loved to see him draw well and get a nice sit and finish off.

"He always goes well at Flemington so that's a big help."

Meanwhile, honest gelding Orbit Express will be trying to further enhance his excellent record at the track and trip in the Listed race.

The Dangerous five-year-old hasn't missed a place in seven 1400m runs for four wins and has a victory and two third placings to his credit from three appearances on his home track at Flemington.

"He's a really genuine racehorse who attacks the line," trainer Steve McKinnon said.

"Whether he's just a length short at Listed or Group Three level remains to be seen, but he'll give you everything he's got."

Since a close third to Chasm in the Group Three Sandown Stakes (1500m) on November 15 and a win over 1400m at Caulfield on December 6, McKinnon kept Orbit Express ticking over in two 1200m feature sprints.

He was a long neck second to subsequent Rubiton Stakes winner Mind Your Head in the Christmas Stakes at Caulfield on Boxing Day and third to King Hoaks in the Group Three Standish Handicap at Flemington on New Year's Day.