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By Mark Brassel

It’s been a twelve-month wait, but a father-son combination is set to reap the rewards in next weekend’s $150,000 Newhaven Park Central Districts Country Championships at Mudgee.

Roy McCabe senior owns half of The Drover which is prepared by his son, Roy junior, with the gelding a live chance in Sunday’s race that offers two berths [first and second] in the $500,000 Final at Royal Randwick on Saturday April 2.

The Drover (Andrew Banks) powers home to score at Wellington. Image by Janian McMillan (Racing Photography)

Roy senior said the pair decided last year to sit out the 2021 Country Championships with the in-form The Drover.

“We were going to set him for the Country Championships last year, but we realised he was still a bit immature,” McCabe snr said.

“I’ve seen that before – you put the pressure on them too early and it brings them undone, so we were happy to wait a year.

“This bloke is as honest a horse you’ll ever see; I wish we had a stable full of horses like him.”

The Drover has recorded three wins and eight placings from his 16 appearances, last start finishing a gallant second to stablemate Know Where to Look in the Country Championships Preview at Bathurst.

“Running second the other day was probably a good result as he would be carrying much more weight if he’d won.

“Our stable is firing at the right time and the mare [Know Where to Look] is also peaking. It is an exciting time for us.”

Andrew Banks has partnered The Drover at his past two starts, including a win at Cowra and retains the ride at Mudgee.

Mudgee Race Club has a huge day planned with president elect, Tony Brown, proprietor of Mudgee’s Lawson Park Hotel, looking forward to the afternoon.

“Our Club is privileged to be hosting the Central Districts leg of the [Newhaven Park] Country Championships,” next Sunday.

“The Championships provides multiple benefits to our racing network, including our ability to support Racing NSW’s ongoing regional initiatives.

“We love any opportunity to showcase Mudgee and our Club, and with the NRL’s Charity Shield on the day before at Glen Willow with the Rabbitohs taking on the Dragons, we’re expecting a fabulous weekend of sport and family fun for fans and visitors.

“There’s even a country show and rodeo in Rylstone on the Friday, so you could cram a lot of fun and action into the one weekend.

“We’re lucky to have such first-rate facilities to be able to host premier sporting events in our region and when they come together on the same weekend as this, it really is something for footy and racing fans to get excited.

“In addition to a great day of horse racing we’ll also have a Fashions on the Field with prizes for best dressed woman, man and child and a prize for best millinery.

“There’ll be live music, photo opportunities with the Rabbitohs' mascot and players past and present from the Rabbitohs and Dragons, celebrities and much more, making it a great day out for the whole family.

“We also have free buses from all of the Mudgee pubs so it’s easy to get out to the racetrack.

UPCOMING NSW COUNTRY RACE MEETINGS
Monday: Bathurst, Tamworth
Friday: Ballina
Saturday: Tuncurry-Forster, Leeton (non-TAB), Yass picnics (non-TAB)
Sunday: Mudgee (CDRA Country Championships), Albury