Red Ochre heats: Here’s hoping: third time’s a charm for Turnbull, Miss Rodriguez

But after that, the six-year-old bay mare’s going to need a bit of luck.

Miss Rodriguez will start five wide on the front row in Wednesday night’s 2120 metre second heat at the Dubbo Harness Racing Club and despite the eight-pacer field being “a pretty strong” one Turnbull says there’s no reason his chance can’t get the job done.

The top five from each heat progresses through to the Red Ochre final.

“She gets around Dubbo good and she’s won over the trip before. She’s versatile. She can come with a run or do it tough, we’ll just have to see how it’s run,” he said.

“Looking at it, the eight, the two, the three and the one and the four … that’s a few, isn’t it. It’s pretty even, really.

“But with the right trip she’ll handle herself.”

Turnbull rattled off more than half the field as genuine contenders to emerge from the heat, but Mark Callaghan’s Guptas Cullen, or the three as Turnbull put it, looks one of the best along side trainer-driver Amanda Turnbull’s My Bettor Bella.

Finishing the final in fourth behind Ima Mystery Girl in 2017 after running a place behind 2016 champion Maudie Mombassa the year before, Turnbull, who has driven Miss Rodriguez in 47 of her 60 starts, said a third crack at the final would be a dream of his and the owner, Wayne White.

“I’m hoping to qualify, she’s going good,” he said.

“She’s had two runs back from a spell, the first back in Bathurst was good and then the second one was creditable at Menagle.

“It’s always been the owners’ dream to win the final.”

As hard as that will be, though, Turnbull says.

“She’s struggled in the final but I can’t see why she won’t make it,” he continued.

“She got locked away on the pegs year before last and couldn’t get past and Emma (Turnbull) was driving last year so I’m not sure what happened there.

“But we’re happy with her at the moment.”

The first of the Red Ochre heats starts at 6.09pm before Miss Rodriguez and the second heat begins at 6.39pm.