Kody Nestor knows some Country Championships finalists will go into the $500,000 event with more fanfare but he's confident his two qualifiers will produce an effort even stronger than those produced in Sunday's heat at Coonamble.
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Nestor made Country Championships history on Sunday when he became the first to win a qualifier as both a jockey and a trainer.
Mathew Cahill piloted Sneak Preview ($5.50) to victory in the $150,000 Western Racing Association (WRA) heat, with Greg Ryan and Fast Talking ($2.80 favourite) second in front of one of the greatest crowds ever seen at Coonamble Jockey Club.
"I knew I had the right horses going into the race, both are sort of on par," Nestor said, having ridden Dane De Lago to victory in the inaugural WRA heat at Dubbo Turf Club in 2015.
"There wasn't much between them."
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Nestor's pair are the final two horses to qualify via the heats, with the final two qualifiers to come from next weekend's Wild Card event at Muswellbrook.
Sneak Preview and Fast Talking were both $26 chances for the final following Sunday's result but Nestor expects them both to hold their own in the rich event at Randwick.
"I reckon they're both at only about 85-90 percent," he said.
"The run will do them good, especially Fast Talking. Greg said he needed it, more than anything.
"I know they're not going to be favourites for the final but they're not hopeless.
"The program is terrific with only three weeks before the final."
The race wasn't without its drama as Rodney Robb's Festival of Light and the Clint Lundholm-trained Adsum were scratched at the barriers.
Nestor's pair settled well back in the heat on Sunday as noted front-runners California Fox ($26) and Lundholm's Sir Winkle ($5) set the pace while Robb's Supreme Attraction ($9) also pushed forward.
Supreme Attraction led the field into the home straight but as the field fanned out Nestor's leading pair began to make their run.
Sneak Preview quickly got to the lead and while Fast Talking seemed primed to overhaul the leader, Cahill got his mount to kick again and secure a three-quarters-of-a-length win.
California Fox produced a fine run to finish third while Supreme Attraction was fourth.
Nestor was immediately hugged by family, team members and friends but after the initial swamping he took a second to himself.
"I just wanted to watch the replay so I didn't make a fool of myself on TV," he laughed, before hailing the rest of his team.
"I've got great owners and I've got to make special mention of my staff. They do a tremendous job.
"Most of them are here today and the ones who are at home I'll give a drink during the week."
The trainer also had plenty of praise for both Cahill and Ryan, two of the bush's top jockeys.
Cahill described it as "big thrill" having previously finished second in a number of past Country Championships heats.
The win wasn't Nestor's only success on the day as Jailbreak took out the meeting's second event.