Fahey, a former rugby league star who is now firmly entrenched in the horse-racing game, left his home in Wellington in 1975 to sign for the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

There he carved out a successful career but on Friday he was again making tracks to Sydney in the lead up to the TAB Highway Handicap (1200m) at Randwick, in which his leading galloper Strangerinparadise will jump from barrier four.

"They're both pretty good," Fahey said of his love affair with rugby league and racing.

"The horse training, I really like it and it's really good but so was the footy.

"But those days are behind me now."

Racing is now the focus for the man formerly known as "The Redfern Express" and in Strangerinparadise he's got a horse who has been mixing it with the best locally and more often than not finishing on top.

On Saturday the five-year-old mare will race at Randwick for the first time and will carry the top weight in the $40,000 race.

"The only worry is the weight," Fahey said of his chances.

"There's one who ran fifth in the Country Championship heat at Goulburn and we'll give him three-and-a-half (kilograms) with the claim.

"But we'll see how good she is. She'll get in a good spot and she's got a good finish on her."

Boosting Fahey's chances further is the fact champion jockey Hugh Bowman will be in the saddle.

Bowman is coming off a stellar performance at the recent Championships at Randwick where he finished with the Nathan Berry medal for the most wins across the two days of racing.

Strangerinparadise has only missed out on a place once, in her most recent start, since making the move to Fahey's stable from that of Gary Nickson.

The transfer out west was made because she was too unpredictable and weaved around too much in the barriers, a habit she hasn't yet shaked.

"She's in the float and I just had to pull over and tie her up both sides," Fahey said while driving to Randwick on Friday.

"She's active, a real little goer."

Starngerinparadise's last start came at Musswellbrook but some outstanding form has come from that race with the Kris Lees Danish Twist, who finished third, having just recently won the $400,000 Provincial Championship.

"They broke the track record that day she ran seventh and was about four lengths off," Fahey said.

"The one who won the Champs ran third and she was only about half or three-quarters of a length back so it wasn't too bad.

"She was up on the pace and when they went past her at the 200 I thought she might finish last but she fought on and got beat."

The Highway Handicap (1200m) jumps at 12.05pm no Saturday.