Trainer Greg Eurell is confident that straight track specialist We’ve Got This will prove tough to beat when he returns to racing in Saturday’s Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington.

A strong and consistent performer for Eurell through his recent preparations, We’ve Got This has shown a strong affiliation for racing down the straight; beating a classy field in a 1200m race at Flemington during the 2016 autumn, before running third in the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) and second in the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) most notably in spring.

The Hard Spun gelding won a Cranbourne barrier trial with complete ease on July 17^th and Eurell believes that he will relish the conditions of the Aurie’s Star Handicap first-up and is primed for a big performance.

“He’s had a good preparation. Everything has gone to plan,” Eurell told AAP.

“It will be a tough race, as always, but he’s in good shape.

“This looked a nice race to kick him off. He races well down the straight and he’s good fresh, so it ticked a few boxes.

“I would say the horse is back to where he was, certainly from what we’ve seen at home and the way he trialled the other day.

“We’ve had this in mind and hopefully want to capitalise on his freshness, and he’s had a good steady preparation.

“We’ve got a lot of miles under his legs. It’s always hard to beat race fitness but he’s in good shape and this has been the target race for him.

“We’ve certainly done as much as we can to hopefully have him as best we can on the day.”

We’ve Got This immediately stamped himself as one to watch when he debuted to racing for a smart win in a Cranbourne sprint in October of 2014 and has subsequently posted four wins and seven minors throughout his eighteen career starts.

The 2017 Aurie’s Star Handicap field and barrier draw is due to be completed and released by midday, Wednesday (August 9^th).

We’ve Got This is currently available at 2017 Aurie’s Star Handicap odds of $6.50 in the early betting market at Ladbrokes.com.au.