KODY Nestor admits it has been four or five years since he went to Randwick with a legitimate chance but that will change in a fortnight after Dane De Lago won his way into the $300,000 Country Championships Final (1400m).
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The four-year-old, trained by Nestor's uncle Peter, rattled home from the back of the field to win the seventh of the $100,000 heats, joining the likes of Bathurst winner Binalong Road and Tamworth winner Voodoo Lad on day one of The Championships.
While punters rallied behind Found At Last and Prettylittlefellow, there was also support for Dane De Lago, which rectified some poor barriers manners from recent starts.
"He's cost himself a couple of races of late but today he jumped well and tracked Yes Zariz and it was the difference," Kody Nestor said.
Yes Zariz, trained at Gilgandra by Bruce Parker, also booked his ticket to the final by finishing second, while Playing Game ran third, a nose away from making it to the final for trainer Dar Lunn.
It's been a big couple of weeks for the popular rider, who got married two weeks earlier and is now looking forward to heading back to Sydney.
"I rode down there for a bit earlier in my career but it's been a while since I've had a chance down there," Nestor said.
"The final will be tougher than today's race but it's just great to win a $100,000 race for Uncle Pete and the owners and even better to do it on my home track.
"He's a horse with good ability and it will be a thrill to go down and race for the big money on a big day."
Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'Landys joined My Kitchen Rules duo Robert and Lynzey, Home And Away's Nic Westaway and the TAB's Jaimee Rogers on track and declared the Dubbo meeting a success.
"This Country Championships series concept has really worked well and Dubbo has done a great job hosting today," he said.
"With Michael Edwards and his board working hard the club is really moving forward and we're going to support this club and help it forward in the future.
"To see a local horse trained on the track going to Randwick is what this series is about, and there's also a Gilgandra runner in the final as well.
"We'll do this series bigger and better next year, simply because its been such a revelation and so well supported this year."
