Current second favourite in the Caulfield Cup 2012 odds, Mawingo showed they were on track for a big Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival campaign with an arresting trial performance at Cranbourne on Monday.

Mawingo (black & white checked sleeves) is second favourite to win the 2012 Caulfield Cup

The Anthony Freedman-trained Tertullian five-year-old was last seen running third to Lights Of Heaven in the Group 2 Brisbane Cup (2400m), which was their first look at one and a half miles.

Prior to the Brisbane Cup the imported stallion, former prepared in Germany by Jens Hirschberger, broke their Group 1 duck with a narrow victory over Lights Of Heaven in the Doomben Cup (2000m) which was Freedman’s first elite level win as a sole trainer.

It was just their third run on Aussie soil, Mawingo having won their debut down under at Flemington over a mile in April before a third to Shez Sinsational in the Group 2 AD Hollindale Stakes (1800m) in the mud at the Gold Coast in May.

Freedman gave them their first official spring hitout on August 14 with Craig Williams riding them to victory over 990m at Cranbourne, Mawingo continuing to show progression on Monday when they beat home Playwright on the Heavy (8) course at the same track and distance.

The $300,000 Group 2 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington Racecourse on September 8 has been penciled in as Mawingo’s resuming run, Freedman confident they will come back bigger and stronger than last season.

“I’m happy with him,” Freedman said.

“He’s a bit stronger than he probably was at the start of his last preparation.

“He seems very relaxed, very settled and he’s acclimatised well.”

The bookies are tipping them for improvement this time in after their two successful trials, Mawingo heading towards the $2.65 million Group 1 BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield Racecourse on Saturday October 20.

Caulfield Cup odds are currently led by the Lloyd Williams-owned Green Moon ($14) who ran second to Southern Speed in the race last year.

Occupying the second line of Caulfield Cup betting at bookmaker.com.au is then Mawingo at $19, who is the only other nominee under $20 in the latest markets.

The first round of Caulfield Cup acceptances will be taken on Tuesday September 11, 2012.

Don’t wait for the cuts and firming odds! Get behind your favourites now at their generous futures prices online at bookmaker.com.au – home of the innovative QuickBet technology.