Billy Owen excited for Randwick ride before a tilt at another Gundagai Cup on Sunday

But Owen hopes to be heading home on a high after riding at Royal Randwick on Saturday, where he'll partrner Kelvedon Road for Gundagai connections in the group three $200,000 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) on Doncaster Day.

"We'll have the (Gundagai) Tigers colours on down there," an excited Owen said.

The Todd Smart-trained three-year-old is coming off a second in the $80,000 Albury Guineas (1400m) last week, and started this preparation with back-to-back wins at Nowra (1200m) and in the Canberra Guineas Preview (1400m).

In nine starts, Kelvedon Road ($16) has had three wins and three seconds and Owen is hoping to upstage some rivals in a field of nine, riding alongside the likes of Craig Williams, James McDonald, Tommy Berry and Tim Clark.

"You don't get to ride in group races very often and it's a small field on a heavy track - and I know my horse loves a heavy track - so he's not without a chance that's for sure," Owen said.

Three of Owen's 270 career wins have been at Randwick, but he's only ever ridden in one group three event and twice in listed races.

At Gundagai, he's enjoyed nine victories (from 53 starts), including on Voice Commander in the 2011 Cup before Maid Of Ore last year.

"Back to the scene of the crime, same horse, same combination as last year," Owen said.

"She's going as well as ever, just hasn't had the greatest of luck this prep."

Last year's win in the 1800m feature was Maid Of Ore's most recent win. But she was placed at Canterbury in January and Moonee Valley in February, before her 11^th in the $200,000 listed Canberra Cup (2000m).

"She's pleased us at home and it's obviously a massive drop back in grade, that's the biggest thing, and she's won at the track so she ticks a lot of boxes," Owen said.

"Canberra was probably her worst run in a long time and we were a bit dumbfounded of the run becuase the start before she arguably should've won at Moonee Valley and a couple of starts before that she was unlucky at Canterbury.

"But she's come through Canberra all right. Maybe she just had an off day. I galloped her through the week and I'm very happy with her going into the race. I wouldn't want to be on any other horse."

The starting field remains to be seen. Doug Gorrel's Would Be King has come out of the 12 already. James Ponsonby's Philpsburg is the $2.40 favourite but won on a heavy 10 at Canterbury on Wednesday. Joe Cleary's Girls Are Ready ($8) was third in another race at the same meeting. Fellow acceptors Toulon Brook and Onsettling Down are racing at Sapphire Coast today (Friday).

Owen will also ride Black Banjo for the Vigouroux stable in the opening race, More Fish for Wayne Carroll in the Wagga Racing Supporters Club Maiden, and then Nobody's Puppet for Olive in the last event.

The first of eight races at Gundagai is at 1.10pm, with the Cup at 5pm.

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