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By Ray Hickson

It’s only a short 700km drive from Albury to Newcastle but trainer Mitchell Beer is so bullish that Redouble won’t be out of place in Saturday’s $1m The Hunter (1300m) the trip won’t feel anything near that far.

The Kosciuszko runner-up ran above market expectations, but right up to Beer’s, when he was grabbed in the last stride by It’s Me at Randwick on Everest Day and the trainer is adamant he’ll run out of his skin again.

“We had him nice and fit and fresh for that run, we haven’t had to do a lot with him in between,’’ Beer said.

“He’s just bursting to go to the races. He’s in really good at the weights, I’d hate to think what price It’s Me would be starting and we gave her 6kg the other day and she beat us a head.

“I wasn’t afraid to say how well I thought the horse was going in, at one stage he was 40/1 in that race, and he ran accordingly.

“I think the horse has got a new lease on life. It’s not far to go for a million dollars.”

The Hunter will be the seven-year-old’s belated second start for Beer after he had to pull the pin on a trip to Flemington for Cup Day with a foot abscess which he got over “as quick as it came on”.

He said missing that run is of no consequence and his work continues to suggest he’s thriving in his country environment.

Redouble was $26 in TAB’s all-in market prior to the final field and barrier draw.

Redouble runs second in The Kosciuszko at Randwick on October 17

“Having to scratch a horse when they are going so well on Cup Day is heartbreaking but I think the horse is going better than what he was going into the Kosciuszko,’’ he said.

“He ran up there wìth his career best runs in The Kosciuszko and as I said that run really switched him on.

“If he brings his Kosciuszko run he will run in the first three, that’s my summation. There’s some bloody good horses there but for a $1m race you don’t not take that opportunity.

“Plus, it’s a lot of money to run a drum.”

Beer has booked leading apprentice Tom Sherry to ride Redouble.

The young Irishman showed he can handle a high pressure race when he rode Icebath to a narrow second in the $7.5m Iron Jack Golden Eagle less than two weeks ago.

“He’s a good young kid, I think he is a star in the making,’’ he said.

“Even though it’s not a claiming race he’s proven himself at a good level. He seems a hungry young kid and I think he will give it his all.”

Before The Hunter, Beer has his sights set on another feature race – Friday’s $100,000 XXXX Gold Snake Gully Cup at Gundagai.

He has three horses nominated and quickly pointed to Country Championships Qualifier winner Sky Call, a last start victor at Wagga, as his best chance.

“She was back to form when she won the other day and she looks really well suited,’’ he said.

All the entries, form and replays for Saturday's The Hunter meeting at Newcastle