A win for Coming In Hot on Sunday would give local trainer Justin Stanley the chance to again experience what he describes as “the best day at the races” he’s been a part of.
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Stanley won last year’s Western Districts Country Championships Qualifier with Something Borrowed, who went on to finish midfield in the $400,000 final run during The Championships at Royal Randwick.
“It would be brilliant (to win again) because it was great to experience and was probably the best day at the races I’ve had,” he said of last year’s final.
“It’s something every trainer would like to experience. It’s wonderful.”
Stanley is in a confident mood about his chances of earning a repeat trip to Randwick, with the first two past the post on Sunday advancing to the final.
The young Coming In Hot will jump from barrier four at Dubbo Turf Club on Sunday, much to the pleasure of his trainer.
The Snippetson X Umatilly colt has scored three wins and three placings from 12 starts and the trainer said he couldn’t be in a better place heading into the $150,000 feature, run over 1400m.
“He’s proved himself and I’ve got him as good as he can be,” he said, adding Coming In Hot was “spot on”.
“It’s good to go in a race like this and I’ve given him every chance.
“He’s young too, he’s only three years old so I won’t be disappointed if he doesn’t win because I think he’s got a lot of wins ahead of him because he’s still growing and developing.”
Champion local jockey Greg Ryan will be in the saddle again on Sunday after guiding Coming In Hot to his first win at Narromine and his two most recent starts.
The last run was disappointing on paper, as he ran last at Mudgee on February 5 but Stanley said he didn’t take much from it as his colt jumped from barrier 13 and “there was not much” Ryan could do.
The focus has always been on the Qualifier, race Stanley expects to have a bit of speed early on.
“A few of the other fancied ones have drawn some wide barriers but I still think there will be some speed from the outside early so he (Coming In Hot) should roll on,” he said.
“He should land a nice spot on the rails but we’ll have to see how it all pans out because it can change just like that.”
The Qualifier is the eighth race on the card on Sunday and will jump at 4.40pm.