Trainer Gary Moore plans to take a stranglehold on the Winter Challenge in the early stages and never relinquish it with the free-striding Classic Uniform, which is eyeing a second stakes win at Rosehill.
Moore's rising five-year-old was planted wide throughout before going under by just two lengths in the Winter Challenge , which produces nine of the 11 starters in Saturday's feature.
![Classic case: Andrew Adkins on Classic Uniform.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170729184113im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/g/2/0/8/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gxki0m.png/1501215165144.jpg)
Classic Uniform is expected to amble to the lead from barrier one though and a bullish Moore is hoping his grinding middle-distance type can hold off all challengers.
"This is the race he's been set for," Moore said. "I thought he's been very good in two runs, especially the last one when he got caught wide and battled to only be beaten two lengths.
"He's got gate one and there doesn't seem to be a lot of speed and he runs well at Rosehill. From gate one he'll lead.
"I would have liked a drop of rain, but you can't have everything. He's won on this type of ground a few times before. That's not a worry."
Classic Uniform has already been well supported in early markets, but Gold  Symphony and Liapari top betting charts.The pair are joint $4.60 favourites with Sportsbet with Classic Uniform, with as much as $14 offered earlier in the week,  on the third line  at $7.
Moore is already looking towards the Premier's Cup as Classic Uniform's secondary late winter aim and expects him to be much more seasoned over a trip this campaign.
"I think he'll get 2000 [metres] this preparation and I know he won over 1900 [metres] last campaign, but I think he had just come to the end of it," Moore said. "He's had a good spell and he's stronger. He's shown he's up to stakes class and the Premier's Cup will be his next race."
The Rosehill trainer has the unbeaten Hostwin Meraki, a distant second favourite to D'Argento, in the two-year-old opener.
"The 1500 [metres] is going to be right up his alley and he just lobbed along [his last win at Hawkesbury]," Moore said.Â
"I loved the way he hit the line when he changed legs, he went to another gear and won with plenty in hand. It's always a big thing when you beat the older horses."
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