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By Mark Brassel

It’s the ‘last chance saloon’ – the final opportunity to snare a berth in a $500,000 race at Royal Randwick deemed one of country racing’s pinnacle events.

First and second home in next Sunday’s Newhaven Park Country Championships Wildcard at Scone receive the last two golden tickets to the Final at Randwick on Saturday 2 April.

Mr Hussill and Kerrin McEvoy score at Royal Randwick. Image by Bradley Photographers

Local trainer Cameron Crockett, who already has a qualifier for the Final with Commando Hunt, will be hoping he can double his chances by qualifying the talented Mr Hussill.

The six-year-old is only lightly raced with eight starts for three wins and three placings, having been dogged by injury and bad luck.

“He’s a horse that has constantly had to overcome problems but in saying that, now is the best I’ve ever had him,” Crockett declared.

Mr Hussill was having his first run since October when fifth to Anethole and Commando Hunt in the Hunter & North West Country Championships (1400m) at Tamworth last weekend.

The horse had to make a long run out wide, and his condition just gave out late in the race finishing three lengths in arrears.

“Everything was against him, and he still ran well; it was a super effort,” Crockett disclosed.

“That was his first run beyond 1300 metres and despite a torrid run from the 600m, he still hit the line strongly so I’ve no doubt he’ll handle the 1400m of the Wildcard.

“He’s had two preparations that have been back-to-front from where we had planned

“He hadn’t started for four months and was chasing fit horses. He’s so much better now. He’d had kissing spine and had to be worked on which put him back a fortnight.

“And Tamworth was very wet, and he lost his footing with the track breaking up. I realise he’d won on a heavy surface at Randwick last winter, but it was a different track as it had stopped raining 36 hours from raceday and the course was drying out.

“At Tamworth, it was raining before and during the race and it was deteriorating.”

Stablemate Commando Hunt is now safely into the Country Championships Final, although his brave second took its toll.

“He has a lean and light constitution, and the run took plenty out of him. Luckily, we have time before the Final to get him right.

“He just doesn’t have the frame of many other horses but is honest and is a really good galloper with a nice engine.”

Kerrin McEvoy has been booked for the Country Championships Final ride at Randwick on 2 April.

Scone Race Club’s CEO, Steve Keene, said: “With perfect weather forecast all week and leading into the day, the track will be in amazing condition for eight strong races.

“This year’s Wildcard race is anticipated to best heat in the Wildcard’s history – there will be some exceptional horses that will be running to book a spot in the Country Championships Final.”

In latest TAB markets on the Final, Far Too Easy is the $5 favourite ahead of Another One ($6) and Anethole, It’s Me, Tap and Run, and Testator Silens all at $8. Mr Hussill is a $51 chance.

UPCOMING NSW COUNTRY RACE MEETINGS
Monday: Grafton
Tuesday: Moree
Thursday: Wagga
Friday: Grafton, Port Macquarie
Saturday: Queanbeyan, Gilgandra (non-TAB), Narrabri (non-TAB), Balranald (non-TAB), Ardlethan picnics (non-TAB)
Sunday: Scone (Country Championships Wildcard), Orange