"Randwick is looking good."
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There wasn't much else for Darren Hyde to say after Westlink dominated Monday's Diggers Cup (1375m) at Cowra in a perfect tune-up for the looming $500,000 Country Championships Final.
The Western Racing Association heat winner blew out the cobwebs in style at Cowra, avoiding any worries about a wide draw early before romping to a three-length win in the $22,000 feature event with Adam Hyeroimus again in the saddle.
Speaking to Sky Thoroughbred Central after the win, Hyde confirmed the win was Westlink's last race before the $500,000 event at Royal Randwick on April 6.
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"He's just going enormous. I can't get him any better and I wish the Championships (final) was a little bit closer," the delighted Dubbo trainer said.
"We brought him basically to give him a pipe opener before Sydney. The six-week period would have been a bit much."
The win certainly caught the eye, with Westlink firming in from $51 to $26 immediately for the final and, as Hyde pointed out, some of the major favourites will have to qualify via the Wildcard at Muswellbrook after missing out in their respective qualifiers.
"Any horse can win it now," Hyde said of the final.
"We've just got to keep him together and keep him in cotton wool and hopefully all goes to plan."
Cowra product Hyeronimus showed his faith in Westlink by making the trip to Sydney for the one ride in the day's feature event.
Westlink jumped a $1.75 favourite from the widest gate but Hyeronimus got forward and settled comfortably in fourth as Athonis ($6.50) set the pace.
I was pretty confident coming to the corner he would race away.
- Darren Hyde on Westlink
Athonis led into the bend for home but Hyeronimus had got a lovely run and soon powered to the front.
It was all over there as he cruised to victory from Athonis while Inch Perfect ($17) was third.
"I was pretty confident coming to the corner he would race away, and he did accordingly," Hyde said.
"This bloke (Hyeronimus) matches any rider in Sydney so to come out here and to give him a gun ride like he did, Randwick is looking good."
Hyde added he feels Westlink races better on the fresh side and he is certain to be fresh for Randwick with that race now a month away.
Westlink qualified for the final when he won the qualifier at Dubbo Turf Club three-and-a-quarter-lengths on February 10.
Clint Lundholm's Sons Of Bourke ran second that day and also earned a ticket to the $500,000 event at Randwick.