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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Danny Williams unveils what he believes is his leading Country Championships contender when Highway Strip makes his Randwick debut in the TAB Highway (1200m) on Saturday.

Trainer Danny Williams

The Goulburn trainer has around five horses earmarked to be given their chance at the rich country series in 2025, including his Kosciuszko runner Kreon and Exit Fee who will also contest the Highway, but he’s long felt Highway Strip was well above average.

The three-year-old, $4.20 with TAB on Friday, debuted with a close second at Moruya in April then returned later in the year for two easy wins at Goulburn and Williams feels he’s now better prepared to come to Sydney.

“He’s come back a lot more furnished, a lot more mature mentally,’’ Williams said.

“Last preparation he was doing everything on sheer ability and had no idea what he was doing.

"He still has a long way to go before the penny really drops but he’s more switched on about what he’s doing and the inclusion of a tongue tie has helped him a lot.

“He’s most probably the best horse I’ve got. We have five very nice horses trying to head toward the Country Championships and he’d be the leading chance at this stage.”

Williams won the South East Country Championships, run at Moruya, in 2024 with Bandi’s Boy who was then unplaced as favourite in the $1 million Final.

Kerrin McEvoy has the ride on Highway Strip at Randwick and Williams said if the gelding does everything right he expects to be a major player in the race.

He said so far in his short career he’s tended to step away a shade slowly before mustering speed quickly but on the evidence of his recent Goulburn trial win he’s taken a leap forward.

Highway Strip jumped cleanly and took control of the gallop before cruising away to win by three lengths with Exit Fee and Kreon third and fourth respectively.

“The trial was an indication that he’s furnished and I think as he gets more mature our expectation is he’s going to get better,’’ he said.

“We’ve had all of his family and they’ve always shown a lot at home but not put it together until a four or five-year-old.

“Our expectations are he will be very competitive. It’s a roomy track, he has a good weight and a nice gate and I’m hoping he’s mentally ready because last preparation he wouldn’t have been.”

Williams warned that Exit Fee is a promising horse in his own right and feels he can run a race at his first start since a handy Highway debut back in August.

He said he erred in dropping the gelding to 1100m in that Highway, where he ran fifth behind talented stablemate Atmospheric Rock, but the run showed he has ability and he’ll appreciate the 1200m first-up.

“It’s a shame he’s drawn a bad gate but I wouldn’t underestimating him,’’ he said.

Highway Strip wins a Goulburn trial on December 20

“We pulled the wrong rein with him. We should have gone to the 1400m Highway a week after.

“He was starting to get a bit hot and I thought the easier option was to freshen him up and go six days (after winning at Moruya) into the 1100m rather than a fortnight into 1400m.

“The jock hopped off and said he was looking for 1400m so to run fifth in a very competitive Highway that day showed what he can do.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Randwick meeting