Sons Of Bourke has been strutting around Clint Lundholm's stables every bit the Country Championships finalist.
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The five-year-old gelding ran second behind Westlink in the last month's $150,000 qualifier at Dubbo Turf Club, earning passage through to the $500,000 final on April 6 in the process.
Since then Lundholm has kept Sons Of Bourke ticking over at home and on Sunday he will have his one start before the rich event at Randwick, contesting Tulloch Cup (1300m) at Bathurst's showcase meeting.
"The week after (the heat) he was walking around like he won it," Lundholm said.
"He was that pumped and he was getting around like a horse on top of the world. He was pretty proud of himself."
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Lundholm always planned on giving Sons Of Bourke just the one start before the final and while he nominated the gelding to race at Mudgee on March 3, the event at Bathurst just three weeks out from the final was always the preferred race.
"It's just a great race to trial in before the big one," Lundholm said.
"It's 1300m, three weeks out, and it ticks all the boxes. He races better on the fresher side and we've planned him to race that way.
"He did that at Dubbo (in the heat) and ran second there so we're trying for something similar."
In an ideal word Sons Of Bourke would win Sunday's $30,000 event for his Dubbo trainer and head to Royal Randwick with real momentum.
But that's not what it's all about and the gelding will meet a smart field is Sunday's cup.
Sons Of Bourke is set to jump from barrier nine in the 11-horse cup, with Gayna Williams' Kookabaa and Central Districts Country Championships Qualifier runners Caprera and I Am Magnificent among the main chances.
"There's decent horses so if he could run well and run a nice place behind them then you would still go down happy," Lundholm said.
Andrew Banks will again have the ride on Sunday after guiding Sons Of Bourke to second in the qualifier and Lundholm said he's set to be in the saddle at Randwick for the final as well.
I just can't wait to get there.
- Clint Lundholm on the Country Championships Final
Sons Of Bourke will be just the second Country Championships finalist to have a second run before the final, after Dubbo heat winner Westlink romped to an impressive victory at Cowra last week.
That saw Darren Hyde's hope firm into a $26 hope for the final, while Sons Of Bourke is well back at $101.
That is the longest odds of any horse in the final so far, and well behind a whole host of horses which failed to even qualify from their respective heats.
"I've been keeping an eye on all the other qualifiers and have seen a lot of the favourites get knocked off," Lundholm said.
"It's anyone's race. He's a long shot with the bookies but he's there and we'll be giving it a good crack.
"I just can't wait to get there. I know he'll give 110 percent and do us proud."
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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.
