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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Michelle Ritchie has had to leave nothing to chance to ensure her stable star Blue Missile is ready to fire when he takes his place in Sunday’s $150,000 Newhaven Park South East Provincial Championships (1400m) at Nowra.

Trainer Michelle Ritchie (Pic: Steve Hart)

That’s because the five-year-old, with five wins from 20 starts, sits right on the edge of eligibility so must tackle the race first-up from a spell.

“That’s been the biggest challenge, I’m just hoping I’ve done enough work with him,’’ Ritchie said.

“He’s had two trials and 1400m first-up is a big ask but I had no option as he’s had 20 starts.

“He’s not a fan of swimming, it’s a bit hard to get him in the pool.

“I’ve been taking him to the track every day. On slow days he does two laps around the sand and on fast days he has a lap around the sand before his fast work.

“I’ve pumped it into him and he’s copped it really well.”

It’s been a trying 12 months for Blue Missile’s connections.

He was balloted out of the South East Country Championships last year then after three straight wins contested the Wild Card at Muswellbrook where he finished a close third after leading.

Unfortunately he bled in that race and had to serve the three month ban. Then Ritchie tried to prepare him for The Kosciuszko and after he wasn’t selected decided to give him another chance at the Country Championships.

“I held off to see if he made The Kosciuszko, he was in full work and race fit and when he didn’t make it I thought I’d give him a couple of runs to keep the fitness up,’’ she said.

“Otherwise it would be nearly 12 months so he had the two runs and I gave him four weeks off and started again to aim at the Country Championships.

“A couple of the owners wanted to have a crack at it, I’ve done the best I can to try and get him fit so fingers crossed he will run the 1400m.”

The Nowra trainer is confident that if Blue Missile turns up at his best it will take a big performance from his rivals to run him down, as was evidenced at Muswellbrook last year.

He’s currently a $51 chance with TAB for the $500,000 Newhaven Park Country Championships Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 2 – that will naturally shorten if he finishes in the top two on Sunday.

Blue Missile runs third in a Rosehill trial on January 15

“It seems to be a pretty winnable race if everything goes the way you want it to,’’ she said.

“If he runs the 1400m and I draw a barrier he’s going to be very hard to beat because I’m very happy with him going into this race.

“He never lies down, he’s just a trooper. You always take him to the races knowing he’ll put in 100 per cent.

“There’s probably better horses in the race but he deserves a crack at it.”

Jess Taylor will ride Blue Missile at Nowra, she’s been on board three times on race day for a win and a second and Ritchie feels the gelding races better for female jockeys.

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