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By Greg Prichard

Albury trainer Kym Davison says Canny Hell’s work on Tuesday was terrific and that now all he’s hoping for is a change of luck at the barrier draw for the $150,000 Evergreen Turf SDRA Country Championships over 1400 metres at Wagga on Saturday.

Trainer Kym Davison (Pic: Border Mail).

Canny Hell started from the outside barrier in a field of 15 when he finished 7th in last year’s qualifier at Albury.

He was an inexperienced three-year-old having just his sixth race start and after working around the field to get to the lead he couldn’t hold off the challengers in the straight.

The gelding has also been unlucky at the draw on the only two occasions he has come to Sydney to race and finished back in the field each time.

Canny Hell did not race in the spring due to a muscle injury and has had two barrier trials and two race starts this time in.

At his last start he finished fourth of nine over 1200 metres in a Class 4 Country Championships Preview race at Wagga on February 17, sticking on well after leading and then only being beaten a bit less than a length.

“He’s needed those two runs this time in,” Davison said.

“He stumbled out of the gates at Wagga and had to work hard to get to the lead. He got caught at the 200, but he kept at it and it was a good run with the 61 kilograms.

“Apart from Burrandana he meets all of those horses that are going from that race to the qualifier a lot better at the weights and he’ll be fitter for it as well.

“Last year we were chasing our tail a bit to get him to the qualifier. He needed to win a couple of races to get his Benchmark rating up, but this year we knew we were qualified and we’ve just timed everything to peak him for the race.

“On his work on Tuesday we couldn’t have him much better than where he is. You couldn’t ask for any better work leading into the race, so we’re very happy with him.

“Nick Souquet came over to ride him and gave him a glowing report, so hopefully for once in a big race he can draw an inside gate and if he does he should be extremely hard to beat on Saturday.

“Simon Miller will ride him in the qualifier. He’s done a lot of work with the horse and has ridden him at his two starts this campaign.”

The first and second placegetters will qualify for the $1 million Evergreen Turf Country Championships Final over 1400 metres at Randwick on April 5.

Canny Hell, which is a $15 chance with TAB for the final, has led several times in races, but each of his four wins have come when he has been ridden just off the pace in second or third place and Davison would like to see him take a sit in the qualifier.

“If he’s led he’s always still been in the race in the straight, but he’s been run down,” Davison said.

“And a couple of times that’s been from wide barriers because he jumps well and has rolled across naturally.

Canny Hell's last start at Wagga on February 17

“So this time I’d like to see him hopefully second, third or fourth if we can get a decent gate and just pop in there without having to do any work for a change.

“That sort of run should really suit him in a race like this.”

All the entries, form and replays for Saturday's Country Championships meeting at Wagga