IN-FORM RAVALLI LOOKING GOOD FOR A HAT-TRICK

Arya Pakuan and Flying Fighter also gear up nicely for Aug Il tests with fine gallops

- Brian Miller

Out there, where racing men gather over a beer to "talk horse", they could right now be debating the merits of Ravalli.

So far, he has been a good friend.

Twice already, when backed down to skinny odds, he has come through with wins.

The first was on June 16.

They sent him off as the $9 top pick and he delivered, beating recent winner Stop The Water in his tracks.

Barely a month later, on July 13, when sent off as the $7 raging favourite, he romped home under Ryan Curatolo to win that sprint with a leg in the air.

Now, they are looking at the runners lined up for the last race on Aug 11 and they are asking: "Can Ravalli do it again? Can he get his hat-trick?" Well, there can only be one answer. Yes, he can.

The Tim Fitzsimmons-trained gelding is nearing the top of his game and racegoers who were at trackside on the morning of Aug 7 would have nodded in unison after seeing him being put through his paces.

Taken out for a training gallop under bright sunshine, Ravalli was not extended to cover the 600m in 41.9sec.

It was a neat piece of work - no bluster, no bother and it would have topped him up sufficiently for the job ahead.

A four-year-old Australian-bred by Ilovethiscity, Ravalli has so far been a revelation.