Allan Gibson has heaped praise on jockey Ken Dunbar in the lead-up to Sunday's Country Championships heat at Coonamble as the duo prepare for a second crack at the race with California Fox.
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Five-year-old California Fox is the only horse in Sunday's field which contested last year's Western Racing Association heat.
California Fox finished fifth that day, five lengths of convincing winner Westlink.
Dunbar was in the saddle that day, as he nearly always is, and will team up with California Fox again in Sunday's $150,000 heat.
"Ken rides work for me and he's a very underrated rider. I'd have him among the best three out here," he said.
"He does a good job and knows the horses from riding them and through work so I can't go past him.
"He rides with a lot of brains, he's a thinking rider and I think that shows at the finish a lot."
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California Fox has had one start back from a spell, finishing sixth at Mudgee behind current WRA favourite Favourite Talking.
He'll go from gate seven on Sunday, possessing a record of three wins and three placings from 17 starts.
"I know it [Sunday] will be tough but hopefully he's somewhere in the mix," Gibson said.
"He hasn't won first-up before but his second-up form has been good so on form I'm hoping for a bit of improvement.
"He was there with 150m to go [at Mudgee] but he needed to run and it showed."
California Fox was a $17 chance on Friday morning.
A noted front-runner, California Fox is expected to be pushing forward early alongside Clint Lundholm's Sir Winkle and the Wayne Collison-trained A Krupt Pick.
"It could be a charge of the light brigade early," he said.
"If we can take the lead without busting ourselves (we will) but if something goes past we're not going to be cut-throat and we'll try and take a sit, if possible.
"There will be a few up near the lead."
Gibson, who started training at Warwick Farm in 1978 and moved to Dubbo 10 years later, was another one to praise the Country Championships initiative.
Now in its sixth year, this marks the first edition of the western area heat to be staged away from Dubbo Turf Club.
The Coonamble Jockey Club has put a huge amount of work improving its facility and a huge crowd is expected to attend the showcase meeting.
"I think it's really exciting," Gibson said.
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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.
