There's nothing fancy about Ragtime Cowboy Joe but trainer Matthew Smith is counting on the horse's no-nonsense approach to racing to deliver a hat-trick of wins at Canterbury.

During a time of the year when racing's headline horses are out in force, a galloper like Ragtime Cowboy Joe doesn't figure on too many punters' spring radar.

But Smith says the staying prospect knows his place and he is hoping the four-year-old's resilience wins out in the Casino Prince @ Vinery Handicap (1900m) on Wednesday.

"I'm not too sure how many more runs he's got in him this time in but I'll probably get a better indication tomorrow," Smith said.

"He'll run a mile and a half eventually and if he fires again at Canterbury I'll keep going with him."

Ragtime Cowboy Joe is easily having his best campaign with all three of his career wins coming after he resumed racing in April.

He stepped out to a middle distance for the first time with an 1850m win at Newcastle at his most recent start and Wednesday's race barely rates any stronger.

"It looks about the same to what he's been racing against so there's no reason why he can't win again," Smith said.

"He's no star but he keeps trying hard and he sticks his neck out at the right time. That's all you can ask."

Ragtime Cowboy Joe will be Smith's only runner at a meeting where premier trainer Chris Waller has nine acceptors across six races.

Waller had 14 metropolitan winners in the opening month of the season but such was the standard of excellence he set in 2012-13, he is eight wins off his record-breaking pace from 12 months ago.

Among Waller's best at Canterbury will be lightly raced three-year-old Spud O'Reilly in the Become An ATC Sponsor Handicap (1550m).

The Caulfield Guineas and Spring Stakes entry never saw the running rail when he raced at least four wide when fifth at Warwick Farm last week and Jim Cassidy rides for the first time.