Trainer Lionel Cohen has revealed that he would like to see Aeronautical settle closer to the speed when he contests the 2015 Orr Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.

Aeronautical has the chance to record a maiden win at Group 1 level in the 2015 Orr Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart

Aeronautical has not recorded a race win in over a year, but he has performed fairly in three race starts since he was sent down to Melbourne and he worked home strongly in the Listed John Dillion Stakes (1400m) at Sandown on Australia Day.

Cohen told Racing Ahead that Aeronautical lost a shoe during the running of the John Dillion Stakes and he believes that the Encosta De Lago gelding could have gone closer to recording a breakthrough race win if he was settled closer to the speed in the early stages of the race.

“It was a very good run and I think all his runs down there have been pretty good, especially his last two,” Rawiller said.

“His sectionals were really good and he lost a shoe during the running and probably got caught out a bit by the track, which resulted in us being a little bit further back than I had anticipated.

“It probably cost him a bit of a winning chance, but be that as it may he still closed it off well and it was a good run.

“He is enjoying his stay down in Melbourne.”

The 2015 Orr Stakes has drawn a close to capacity field of 15 runners, but there does not look to be a great deal of speed in the race and Cohen said that he is keen for jockey Brad Rawiller to push forward on the six-year-old in the early stages of the race.

Aeronautical has generally been settled towards the tail of the field in the majority of his race starts, but Cohen believes that the veteran sprinter has the ability to take up a forward position and he is hoping that will allow the six-year-old to be competitive in the Orr Stakes.

“He is an older horse and you can put him closer as we have seen in the past,” Cohen said,

“We probably have to be a little bit more aggressive on him and try to make it a bit easier for him to close off these races.

“Brad stays on him and he knows the horse well known.

“It is ideal if one can stick with them and he repeats his last run he has race fitness on his side and I would like to think he would be competitive.”

Aeronautical is currently available at 2015 Orr Stakes odds of $51 with Ladbrokes Australia, while Dissident ($3.80) is a clear favourite from Petrology ($6), Entirely Platinum ($7.50), Java ($8) and Real Love ($12).