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By Ray Hickson

There’ll be no excuses for Philipsburg on the score of fitness from trainer James Ponsonby as he tries to force his way into the Newhaven Park Country Championships Final via Sunday’s $50,000 Wild Card (1400m) at Scone.

Trainer James Ponsonby (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Ponsonby conceded after the four-year-old ran sixth behind Testator Silens in the South East Championships at Nowra back on February 13 that he wasn’t fit enough for what turned out to be a testing race.

Philipsburg has won third-up in both preparations for the trainer and tuned up for the Wild Card with a game second over 1550m on a heavy track at Canterbury three weeks ago.

“He just looked a little bit plump but his second up run was good on a really heavy track,’’ he said.

“I hope it has all worked out well because he’s had a bit of extra time between his second-up run and what will now be his third-up performance.

“He probably needed it because it was a testing track that night so extra time between races is probably going to be a good thing.

“We’re going there with a fit horse and a healthy horse. He’s usually very good once he’s into a campaign and he’s won third-up before for us twice.”

Rachel King is back on Philipsburg for the Wild Card, she rode him to victory in a TAB Highway at Kembla back in September as well as at Nowra first-up, and Ponsonby is rapt with how the barriers have fallen for the gelding.

He’s an $11 chance at Scone and $34 in the $500,000 Newhaven Park Country Championships Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 2.

Ponsonby said race favourite Edit is the horse he fears most and is virtually conceding one of the two places available for the Final to the Cody Morgan-trained galloper.

“Edit looks a classy horse and he’ll be hard to beat and if he turns up and puts his best foot forward there’s probably only one place,’’ he said.

“I think there will be a bit of pace in the race, Blue Missile is out in 10 and I don’t think they’ll make any secret of their intentions to be positive early.

“I’m pleased with my horse, I think he will do his very best and it will be a matter of are we good enough to beat Edit. We’re going to have every chance.”

Philipsburg’s travelling companion to Scone is Morgenstern who will line up in the Scone Happy Tooth Handicap (1400m) and the trainer describes that horse’s campaign so far as a ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ preparation.

He produced a strong finish to win first-up at Bathurst back in December but has gone missing in five runs since then, though showed a glimpse of improvement running fourth at Cowra on March 7.

Philipsburg runs second at Canterbury on February 25

“The track didn’t suit him, he got a shorten up just on straightening but he went through the line for the first time since his win at Bathurst,’’ he said.

“And on his win at Bathurst you’d think this horse could win a Highway.”

In the four-year-old’s favour is Ponsonby believes he’ll relish the wide open spaces at Scone.

“It has a nice long straight, Scone is one of those really good tracks that seems to give every runner their chance,’’ he said.

“He’s got to cut the corner and hope for a bit of luck.”

All the entries, form and replays for Sunday's Country Championships meeting at Scone