CONSISTENT Cranbourne-based stayer Royal Mail continued a successful summer for trainer Dean Howard when he rounded out the Caulfield program on Saturday with victory in the $70,000 Mal Seccull Handicap (2000 metres).
The five-year-old gelding has not missed a place in a summer campaign that has also yielded wins at Sale and Moonee Valley.
Claiming apprentice Damien Lane, having his first ride on the son of Bianconi, was able settle his mount after the gelding, having begun well, over-raced during the early stages.
But after settling the horse Lane was able to find cover one off the fence.
A drifter in betting, Royal Mail ($11) duelled with race favourite The Big Steel for most of the straight before bounding clear to score a three-quarter length win.
Apres ($4.40) ran home strongly to grab second, a head in front of Down Under Boy ($15).
"[Royal Mail] began quite well but then started to over-race a little bit and I found myself three deep not long after the start," Lane said.
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