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By Tony Megahey

Albury’s regular TAB Highway contender Mitch Beer says programming and preparation turned “disastrous” for trainers through the worst weather in their area in memory, but considers he still has enough in his favour with three-race winning speedster Flying Sultan into the Rosehill Gardens TAB $120,000 Class 3, 1200m on Saturday.

“We’ve had so many meetings washed out - Albury our last four - we can’t get onto tracks to race or work, so we’ve spelled them or travelled more than ever and this gelding went super in a Wangaratta jump out recently,” Mitch explained.

Flying Sultan at an enticing $16 on TAB is well weighted on 56kg for Brenton Avdulla and barrier seven in a capacity field - a tremendous support race on $10m XXXX Golden Eagle Day.

Albury-based trainer Mitch Beer

Flying Sultan carried 60.5kg and 58.5kg for wins last prep at Albury and Wagga Wagga, impressive enough for Mitch to take him to Flemington in April for a three-year-old race where he struck boom sprinter Star Patrol and finished down the track.

“I’ve always had a high opinion of him, so we went to Flemington off those early wins, but he pulled up ordinary, so we turned him out.

“He’s come back a really nice and mature four-year-old. Natural speed and ability, without a doubt my next Country Championships horse.

“We had to find a starting point somewhere. While the bad weather has held us back, he’s done enough to run us a race with the ability’s he’s got.

“Before the Wangaratta jump out we managed a soft trial at Albury behind that really fast mare Mouse Almighty and she beat a strong field at Moonee Valley off that.

“But he doesn’t handle rain-affected, so we’ve been waiting for a decent track to travel. And it’s been some wait I can tell you.

“You know after all the wash outs down here and the flooding, there’s 98 nominations for a maiden at Wangaratta on Melbourne Cup Day!"

On Saturday at headquarters an unprecedented 33 nominations qualified for a capacity 18 runners and five emergencies. Flying Sultan invariably leads and with a winning double at 1110m logically should lead or be on-pace again.

There’s abundant strong Highway form in the big field. Prolific winner Brett Cavanough, who emerged in the series to win the 2000 The Kosciuszko with It’s Me, has the $4.20 early TAB favourite Sungblue with Kerrin McEvoy.

Rosehill Gardens is rated a Soft 6 and but with sunny weather an upgrade is likely.

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