Geoff Scott-Smith is optimistic classy brothers Dundee Rebel and Dundee Smokey can make an overdue return to the winners list in Friday night’s heats of the Joe Pearl Winter Cup (520m) at Geelong.

The home-grown Feral Franky x Dundee Calypso littermates have both been knocking the door down in pursuit of a tenth career victory.

Dundee Rebel (nine from 38), which has drawn box three in the first of two heats (race 7, 8.59pm), has run minor placings at his past six starts.

Dundee Smokey (nine from 29), which will exit box one for the first time in the second run-off (race 8, 9.18pm), has been runner-up at his last two.

“They’re racing pretty consistently,” said owner/trainer/breeder Scott-Smith.

“One (Dundee Smokey) has been getting run down and the other one has nearly been running his opposition down.”

“Dundee Rebel is like a bull at the moment, and he seems to have got a lot stronger.”

Since handing Scott-Smith one of his biggest wins in the sport with an upset victory in the $150,000 to-the-winner Group 2 Flying Amy Classic in Brisbane on June 8, Dundee Rebel has endured a frustrating string of near-misses.

In his past two defeats at Sandown Park, Dundee Rebel was beaten a nose by Vaucluse Bale, and then last Saturday he flashed home for third, beaten less than a length by Big Energy in a Best Of Night 29.49sec.

“You’d like to think Dundee Rebel is a pretty good chance,” Scott-Smith said.

“I thought his run at Sandown last Saturday night was outstanding. He’s like a bull at the moment and he seems to have got a lot stronger.

“Box three shouldn’t worry him. He’s pretty good in a field too.

“I took him to Geelong for the (G2) Cup heats, which were also over the 520m, and he ran second, only beaten about a length, by one of Paul Bartolo’s dogs (Storm Stroller).”

WATCH: DUNDEE SMOKEY (B6) finished best to defeat fellow Victorian UMBERTO (B1) in the Group 2 Flying Amy Classic during the Brisbane Winter Carnival.

Similarly, Dundee Smokey, third to Amron Boy in the G1 Harrison-Dawson in May and runner-up in the Geelong Derby Final over 450m last October, has found one better at his past two appearances, both also at Sandown.

While Scott-Smith gives Dundee Rebel the nod as his best chance in Friday’s heats, he expects Dundee Smokey to prove hard to catch off the rails alley.

“I’ve been really happy with Dundee Smokey’s last couple of runs as well,” he said.

“He injured a fibula while he was away, but he seems to be over that now and is coming back into his own.

“It’s the first time ‘Smokey” has drawn ‘the red’, although he’s had plenty of twos (9 starts, 3 wins, 4 minor placings). I’d sooner ‘the red’ than box five!

“Geelong is a bit of a frontrunner’s track, and he is a dog that needs to lead.

“He’d probably need to be five or six in front down the back. That’s just the sort of dog he is. It’s the nature of the beast.

“There was nothing between the two of them when they were breaking-in over shorter distances, but once they got to longer races, Dundee Rebel has always been stronger.

“But even fading a bit in the run-home, ‘Smokey” has run 29.30-odd at Sandown. You don’t baulk at that.

“There aren’t really any big names in the heats, so hopefully they can both run in the first four.”

Next Friday night’s (August 25) Winter Cup Final carries a $15,000 winner’s purse, after which Scott-Smith is likely to target the Million Dollar Chase.

The ‘Dundee’ brothers both contested the recent Southern Stars series in regional NSW, with ‘Smokey’ winning a heat at Wagga and running fifth to Big Daddy in the final at Goulburn, while ‘Rebel’ was an unlucky second in a Wagga heat.

“The Million Dollar Chase is under consideration for sure.”