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By Graeme White

The Natalie and Luke Jarvis team have Rouge Lune waiting in the wings for the Newhaven Park Country Championships at Moruya in early March and today at their home track they appear well placed to add to their recent success at home.

The stable was successful with Rouge Lune and Greatestofease on January 8 and today saddle up seven runners including California August in the Thank You Ann Harris Benchmark 66 (2010m).

California August ($23 on TAB) won consecutive races at picnic grade before finishing out of the placings in the Cooma and Moruya Cups.

California August (Maddie Wright) lands the money at Bong Bong. Image by Bradley Photographers

“I think he is our best chance for the afternoon,” Luke Jarvis said. “He is up over 2000 metres for the first time, but I think he needs it.”

The stable is striving for early success with maiden class gallopers Shrimp ($2.50) and Steamed Hams ($2.20 favourite).

Shrimp was well supported at her latest start from $4.20 to $3.40 favourite when third behind Felix Pereon.

Lining up for start number 11, Shrimp is ideally placed with her main danger appearing to be debutant The Main Event ($2.40 fav) which won his only trial at Kembla Grange.

The previous Moruya meeting produced five winners that are trained at Moruya and the local trainers again have a strong presence.

The Jarvis stable also appears well placed with Steamed Hams who is coming off a last start fourth behind Peruno at Moruya.

The mare has been placed at two of her five starts at Moruya and is another strong winning hope for jockey Kayla Nisbet.

The bulk of the stable will race at Moruya, but on Sunday at Cowra they will also contest the Cowra Lamb Cup with Kattegat.

Meanwhile, trainer Nick Olive has three strong top three chances in Final Comment ($2.20 fav), Mooshaka ($6) and Epaullo Creed ($4.60 equal fav).

The latter is equal favourite in the Sandy Cummins Memorial Benchmark 58 (1210m).

Olive feels Epaullo Creed is in the right type of race to again make his presence felt.

“It was a pretty strong win at Nowra and I like his chances. Final Comment is back from Highway grade and having his first crack at 2000 metres which I think he has been looking for,” he said.

“Mooshaka is so honest and always gives her best.”

Mooshaka only beat home one of her rivals at her latest start at Wagga behind the talented Projeto which will race in Melbourne tomorrow.

Last year, Olive captured the Newhaven Park Country Championships South East with Kimberley Secrets. The $150,000 race will be held for the second consecutive year at Moruya on Sunday, March 3.

Canberra trainer Matthew Kelley hopes to have Invertational lining up in the feature. He will start Super View ($11) and Puerto Rico ($3.80 fav) at Moruya with the soft six surface ideal for both, according to their trainer.

“The softer it is the better for both of them. Puerto Rico is backing up after running a close third at Nowra on Sunday,” he said.

“He is race fit and that won’t worry him. Super View’s best runs have all been on soft and heavy tracks.”

Super View has won four races with two each on soft and heavy surfaces.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Moruya here