Todd Howlett is keen to give Music Man the first distance test of his career, providing there is improving ground for the in-form galloper’s attempt at a hat-trick of wins.

Howlett has Music Man entered for two races at Canterbury, but he is favouring a benchmark handicap over 1900m in preference to a lesser grade event over 1550m.

“I might be wrong stepping him up to 1900 but for everything he’s doing, I just think he’ll be better suited over a little bit further,” Howlett said.

Music Man is yet to race beyond 1600m, a distance the four-year-old has won over twice – at his two most recent starts.

Contesting a Highway Handicap for country-trained horses at Randwick on Boxing Day, Music Man shared the lead before scoring under apprentice Koby Jennings.

Howlett sees no reason not to use Jennings again despite a change in the race conditions making it unlikely the apprentice will be able to use all of his 3kg claim.

Canterbury was marked in the heavy range on Tuesday after 37mm of rain up to 10am.

But it has a reputation as one of the best drying tracks in Australian racing, a rating that Howlett hopes can hold true leading into a rare Saturday meeting at the racetrack.

“I wouldn’t want to run him if it was real heavy,” Howlett said.

Howlett said he would definitely run Esgrimidor after the sprinter ran a brave race in just missing out on a place at Randwick a month ago.

Article from JustHorseRacing.com.au