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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Gary Colvin is preparing 2021 Newhaven Park Country Championships Final runner-up Another One for a shot at back-to-back wins in next month’s Southern Districts feature.

With four wins from just 12 starts, the gelding is comfortably eligible for the 2022 series.

Another One scored a last stride victory at Wagga last year to qualify for the $500,000 Final where he beat all bar Art Cadeau at Royal Randwick but hasn't won since that day.

After an experimental spring, brought on by missing a start in the $1.3 million The Kosciuszko, Colvin has a plan mapped out to have Another One ready to go on his home track on February 19 where he’ll aim to be first dual Country Championships winner in his region.

“We are definitely going that way,’’ Colvin said.

“He’s going very well and I couldn’t be more pleased. He had six weeks out, he had a jump out last Tuesday and will trial at Albury (on Thursday).”

Another One wins the 2021 SDRA Country Championship at Wagga

A first-up third in the Ian Reid Sprint at Wagga, a shade disappointing by his standards, was followed by three runs in Sydney up to 1800m with a close second over 1550m in October his best effort.

“I wanted to see how he’d go (over further) but 1400m is more his distance,’’ Colvin said.

“We had a couple of phone calls about The Kosciuszko and when he didn’t get picked up I thought we’re better off in a Country Championships.”

The four-year-old will follow his Albury trial, where he could meet fellow contenders like Mitch Beer’s Sunrise Ruby and Tim Donnelly’s Participator, with a first-up run pencilled in for Rosehill on January 29 which leaves three weeks until the $150,000 Newhaven Park Southern Districts Country Championship over 1400m.

It’s easy to forget that Another One was only a three-year-old when he contested the series last year and Colvin said while the spring didn’t work out for him he’s excited about getting a second chance with a more mature horse.

The Wagga trainer isn’t putting all his eggs in one basket and could have as many as three horses in the regional feature if stablemates Nic’s Hero and Sizzling Cat prove worthy.

Nic’s Hero hasn’t raced since August in a preparation where he won three of his five starts and Colvin said he’s likely to resume on Australia Day.

“He had a good break, he’s come back and I’ve very happy with him,’’ he said.

“He’s been a work in progress but he’s come along very well.”

And Sizzling Cat was due to kick off at Wagga on Tuesday but a bruised hoof put paid to that. Colvin said he’ll be given his chance to warrant a Country Championships start in the next couple of weeks.

The Star Championships - the Grand Finals of Australian racing.