BATHURST’S reigning Horse of the Year, the Dean Mirfin trained Dashexpress, will begin his latest campaign today at Tyers Park and must overcome a number of strong local runners if he wishes to start with a win.

Mirfin’s seven-year-old gelding takes on six other runners in today’s RSL Club CG&E Benchmark 55 Handicap (1,200 metres), the third race on the Bathurst Thoroughbred Racing Club’s card, with the contest to feature three other Bathurst-trained runners.

Dashexpress had a sensational run of form at this time last year, four straight wins playing a big role in earning him the Horse of the Year crown.

After some disappointing runs in June he was sent for a spell by Mirfin, but the trainer is brimming with confidence that he can find form once again.

“He’s going terrific. I expect good things from him,” he said.

“He has certainly freshened up. Last preparation at Coonamble he didn’t handle the long day and the hot day there. We had to pull the pin after that.”

After racing between the 60 to 70 Benchmark over his last preparation he drops back to a Benchmark 55 today, handing him 61 kilograms to shoulder.

It makes him second top weight behind Supreme Laird (63.5kg), but Mirfin is not concerned.

“He goes up in the weights a lot of the time, but he’s a big guy, probably the biggest of them in the stable, so he can carry it. That’s no problem,” Mirfin said.

“I chose this race for him quite a while ago actually. It’s the perfect race for him to come back to. It’s the ideal distance, he’s the returning Horse of the Year at this track and Claire [Nutman] has the ride on him, which is great.”

Some of Dashexpress’ biggest competition today is expected to come from his fellow Bathurst runners.

The Shane Cunynghame-trained Grey Pariz was arguably Bathurst’s most in-form galloper over the winter, but is returning from a spell of similar length to Dashexpress’.

Supreme Laird lines up for Kevin Higgins after a pair of thirds at picnic races where he was carrying as much weight as 70kg. He will still be shouldering the top weight in this race and will need a big run to overcome a stronger field this time around.

The last of the Bathurst contenders comes from Peter Stanley’s stable in the form of Run Bullet Run. He is the only local hope significantly into a preparation already, but is carrying some nice form with a win and two placings from his last four starts.

The race begins at 2.13pm today, with the first to jump at 1.03pm.