Pounding will attempt to stretch out to 3200m when he lines up in the Sandown Cup.
Never in his wildest dreams did Peter Moody expect Pounding to run two miles.
But the rising eight-year-old son of Exceed And Excel will be given that chance when he tackles the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) at Sandown on Sunday.
To date, Pounding has won twice at 1400m and six times at 1600m in his eight wins and 20 placings from 65 starts.
The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained galloper had not raced beyond 1800m until finishing third in the 2023 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington and was not tried again at that trip until July last year when second to Jimmy The Bear in the VOBIS Gold Heath at Caulfield.
But Pounding has found a new lease of life in recent assignments, finishing second in the Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) last month and more recently second to Zakouma in the Listed Andrew Ramsden (2800m) at Flemington on May 16.
Now he is stepping up to 3200m which Moody said he had never contemplated until the 'old boys' latest effort.
"He'll whack away and run around the money again. He's already won $150,000 for the prep," Moody said.
"He's run second in the Bairnsdale Cup, second in the Mornington Cup, second in the Andrew Ramsden, and he's been around the mark in his other runs.
"Overall, he's won something like $1.6 million.
"I never thought I'd see him at 3200 metres, but he keeps whacking away, so why not give it a try."
Moody conceded the track condition, in the heavy range on Friday, was not ideal for Pounding.
"Slow ground probably sees him out," Moody said.
The Sandown Cup is part of a jumps day at Sandown on Sunday that features the Australian Hurdle and Australian Steeplechase.
Champion chaser Stern Idol has been tasked with carrying 76.5kg, 3.5kg more than he carried to victory in the Australian Steeplechase (3900m) last year.
