On Saturday, Wayne Martyn will travel to the dirt track at Narrabri to saddle up a horse which is coming off a last-placed finish at a picnics meeting and has just one win from 20 starts.
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On Sunday, he’ll be at Dubbo Turf Club with one of the leading contenders in the $150,000 Country Championships Qualifier.
The Country Championships series was created for people like Martyn.
It gives trainers and owners who might not otherwise get the chance to race in such a rich event the opportunity to do so.
Coonabarabran-based Martyn has Sea Lady in the qualifier, a talented four-year-old mare who came in from an $8 opening price to be $5.50 to win Sunday’s feature event.
A win or a second-placed finish in the race will see Martyn earn a ticket to the $500,000 final at Royal Randwick on April 7.
“It’s unreal. To have this series is great for country people and it gives battlers a chance,” he said.
“And if you’re then good enough to run first, second or third in Sydney that’s a real feather in your cap.”
Martyn is as strong a chance as any to earn a ticket to Randwick with Sea Lady, as “everything is in her favour”.
Previously trained in Victoria by Archie Alexander, Sea Lady made the move to western NSW midway through last year and has scored one win and three placings in his five starts for Martyn.
“It’s going really well and everything has gone to plan,” Martyn said.
“We are pretty confident. He first couple of starts we thought were really good and then she was a bit disappointing at Parkes, she was carrying 60kg, but every other race has been good.”
Also working in Martyn’s favour is Rachael Murray is again in the saddle.
Last year Murray became the first female jockey to ride 100 winners in a season and the only time she hasn’t ridden Sea Lady was when she ran a “disappointing” fifth at Parkes.
“You couldn’t prize her off,” Martyn laughed.
“She’s stuck with us and she went to Orange just to have one ride, and that was on her (Sea Lady).
“We’ve been planning for this for awhile so hopefully it all goes well.”
Sea Lady and Murray will go from barrier 12 on Sunday but that’s not an issue in the slightest.
“She gets in well on the weights. She’s down 3.5kg on last start, it’s unbelievable,” Martyn said.
“She’ll go back and it’s a long straight at Dubbo and she’ll be in a great position. Coming from the back suits her and the track suits her so everything is in her favour.”
But prior to competing in a $150,000 race on Sunday, Martyn will be in action at Narrabri with the battling Snow Moon.
“It’s really different. Going from a dirt track to a really good track,” the trainer laughed when discussing Snow Moon.
“He’s pretty ordinary and has got the size of a pea. He only puts in for one now and then.”
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
