Peter Stanley will saddle up outsiders in both of the biggest races at Mudgee's showcase meeting on Friday, but their consistency gives him reason to be quietly confident.
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The veteran Wellington trainer will have The Long Run in the $50,000 Mudgee Showcase Sprint (1200m) before Not Negotiating goes around in the $75,000 Mudgee Cup (1600m).
The pair are on a short back-up after both running fourth in their respective races on the heavy going at Canterbury last Friday.
"The way Not Negotiating finishes off she could get away with the cup but the other one is honest too and I can't split them," Stanley said.
"They're two entirely different races and they've got chances in both of them. I don't like to split my horses.
"They're nice, honest mares and that's all you want. And I know the jockey will be having a shot at them for me.
"If they get the right runs they're going to go well."
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In an ideal world Stanley would have had The Long Run in the cup but he doesn't like to have the pair contest the same event.
One of the major reasons for that is so his daughter, and apprentice jockey, Ashleigh can take the ride on each of them.
Ashleigh has ridden The Long Run to all but one of her nine career wins while she's ridden Not Negotiating to four victories.
The most recent of Not Negotiating's wins came first-up at Dubbo in October while she also ran third in last month's Cotton Cup at Warren.
I put her at the top of the rankings out here.
- Peter Stanley on his daughter, Ashleigh
The Long Run heads into Friday's meeting having placed in the sprint feature at Warren before finishing fourth at Canterbury.
"They've got as good a chance as any other horse in the field," Stanley said, before praising his daughter's riding.
"They go well for her. She doesn't get nervous and she's been to the city to ride. She ran fifth with The Long Run twice at Warwick Farm and fourth at Canterbury. It was Not Negotiating's first start down there (last week) and gee she ran to the line nicely.
"She (Ashleigh) is capable of being as good as anyone riding out here. I put her at the top of the rankings out here."
Both the mares are set to step up in distance after Friday's meeting.
The Long Run is already adept at running up to 1700m while Stanley expects Not Negotiating to enjoy success over 1800-2000m next preparation.
The Long Run drew gate six for the sprint while Not Negotiating landed gate 13 for the day's main event.
The sprint is arguably the better event of the two, with Brett Cavanough's former Group 3 runner Star Boy to jump as the top weight.
The field also includes Activation, the former Kody Nestor-trained Country Championships Qualifier winner that's now in the care of Clint Lundholm.
Lundholm will also have Coonabarabran Cup winner Notabadidea go around in the Mudgee Cup.
Fellow Dubbo trainer Brett Robb will have Messy Miss and Eva's Deel contest the sprint.
Reiby's Regent, from the Scone stables of former Mudgee trainer Cameron Crockett, was a $4.40 favourite for the sprint on Friday while Nick Olive's Canberra galloper Ready To Humble was a $4 hope for the cup.
The first of Friday's bumper eight races jumps at 1.24pm.
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