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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Kerry Parker is more than happy to sacrifice 1kg to ensure jockey Nash Rawiller rides Well Timed at Rosehill on Tuesday in an important lead up to the Polytrack Provincial-Midway Championships Final.

Trainer Kerry Parker (Pic: Steve Hart)

The four-year-old secured his spot in the $1 million race when runner-up in a Hawkesbury Qualifier three weeks ago and Parker says the HKJC World Pool Handicap (1400m) is the perfect chance to give Rawiller a feel before he heads to Randwick.

He was initially weighted on 55.5kg but will now carry 56.5kg on Tuesday.

“It gives Nash a good feel of him before the Final, he does ride him 1kg over but I’m happy as Larry to take that for Nash to ride him,’’ Parker said.

“I think he’s come back stronger and better from what he was last preparation, he’s definitely a stronger horse and hopefully that finds us an extra length from last prep.

“He got the job done first-up, he’s qualified, and he’s progressed in fitness from there. The aim was always to go third-up into the Final.”

While outgunned late by Mahogany Girl first-up at Hawkesbury, Parker said he was more than pleased with the run given it got his qualification out of the way so he didn’t need to have a second shot.

Last year Well Timed ran third in a qualifying race on his home track at Kembla Grange but didn’t get his second chance when he was scratched at the barriers in the Wild Card.

The gelding enjoyed a fruitful spring and when his campaign ended in the Silver Eagle the plan was set to settle unfinished business with the Provincial-Midway Championships.

“Where he’s at in his career at the moment that’s the perfect target for him,’’ he said.

“I’d never tried 1400m with him first-up, he’d had three trials going into it but he obviously just ran out of carrots the last 80m.

“He loomed up to the other horse and the other horse kept running, but they gapped the rest. You could see he just knocked up.”

Well Timed, $8.50 with TAB on Thursday, is on the second line of betting at $6.50 for the Final run on April 12.

Parker isn’t concerned by the likelihood of a wet track, his maiden was won on a heavy and last year’s qualifier was also conducted in similar ground, and he’s content with where Well Timed has drawn.

“He’s a versatile horse which helps, he’s quite easy to ride in a race,’’ he said.

“He’s got good gate speed and can put himself handy, or if the speed is too quick he’ll come back and listen to the jock. He has a good head about him.

“The speed is all outside him and he should just come across with them.”

Parker is hoping Let’s Go Again can produce a top three finish in the Provincial-Midway Championships Wild Card (1350m) at Wyong on Thursday and join her stablemate in the Final.

He’s prepared to forgive the mare’s second-up failure in the Gosford qualifier two weeks ago and says he’ll look to take advantage of an inside gate.

Well Timed runs second at Hawkesbury on March 8

“She jumps clean and puts herself handy, last start she missed it a bit and had to do some work in the run,’’ he said.

“It’s a bit of a throw at the stumps but she’s an honest mare who you can point in a direction and she’ll run her heart out.”

All the fields, form and replays for Stakes day at Rosehill