Mirfin has previously won a Central Districts heat with Cosmologist in 2018 while he finished second last year at Mudgee with Electrified.

He'll have Buzzoni and Hamogany lining up in Sunday's race, one which offers the first two runners automatic qualification to the $500,000 final at Royal Randwick on April 3.

This will be the fourth start this campaign for Buzzoni, who started his career in Kris Lees' stable prior to his Bathurst switch last year, while Hamogany hasn't made a start since September.

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Buzzoni hasn't missed the top four for Mirfin in his three starts since joining his stable but has yet break through for a win.

"We targeted this race with him from the start of this preparation and we gave him a set program to get there. He's come to every race looking really well and I think he's peaking at the right time and looks ready to run a good race," he said.

"I think it's quite an open race this year. I think there's a couple of smart horses in it, like Healing Hands and Amy's Shadow, who look hard to beat. Behind those two there's a lot of horses with similar form guides and ability and I think he's one of those horses."

Hamogany hasn't had the luxury of a race start this preparation prior to this Sunday.

Having already racked up 20 career starts Hamogany would have been ineligible for the Championships if he took to the track one more time before the series began.

Being by High Chapparal, Hamogany is bred to go longer than this Sunday's 1400m race but Mirfin believes having a shorter run as his first-up attempt should suit him well.

"We turned him out for a spell after his Bathurst Cup run specifically to bring him back first up in this race, so it's been a five month plan in the making," he said.

Buzzoni and Hamogany have drawn well in barriers three and five respectively.

The Gayna Williams-trained Healing Hands, which won last year's heat before finishing fifth in the final, was handed the 59kg top weight alongside the Michael Mulholland-trained Reward Seeker.

This year marks the first Wellington-based Mulholland has contested the Country Championships and as well as Reward Seeker - a gelding with five wins from 12 starts who will be first-up on Sunday - he'll also saddle up Old Harbour.

Old Harbour, to be ridden by Kath Bell-Pitomac, beat home Hamogany in a Bathurst trial on Monday and has three wins and three seconds in eight starts since joining Mulholland's stables.

Peter Stanley, also based at Wellington, will have daughter Ashleigh riding last-start winner Not Negotiating in Sunday's qualifier.

There's eight races on the card at Mudgee and the $150,000 qualifier jumps at 4.45pm.

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