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By Ray Hickson

It’s fair to say things haven’t worked out to trainer Nathan Doyle’s plans in the two times he’s taken The Extreme Cat into a Midway so he’s keen to set the record straight at Rosehill on Saturday.

Trainer Nathan Doyle (Pic: Steve Hart).

He’s been brought undone by a wide barrier on one occasion then a month ago was on the receiving end of some mud in the face but Doyle can see no excuses third time around in the Midway Handicap (1300m).

The Extreme Cat shrugged off that experience and clearly appreciated a return to firmer footing when he scored a runaway win two weeks ago at Hawkesbury.

“His win was good at Hawkesbury, he ran good time and put them away easily,’’ Doyle said.

“I thought he’d run well in the Midway the start prior but he came back and there was mud on him everywhere and he was doing a bit of coughing so I’d say he’s copped a clod in the early stages.

“He dropped the bridle at the 800m in that Midway and he’s normally a horse that gets up on the bridle and is always tracking nicely.

“It might have been circumstances that day and he bounced back and did what I expected from him in that Midway.”

Doyle has secured James McDonald to ride The Extreme Cat, $3.80 with TAB on Friday, and expects the champion rider will be able to make some use of the inside gate.

On face value he said there should be no excuses for the five-year-old.

“He jumped so well at Hawkesbury and put himself there on a fairly hot speed so you want to make use of the gate especially with the rail out at Rosehill,’’ Doyle said.

“With barrier one and James aboard I suppose you roll forward and give him every opportunity. He gets a better surface and a better gate so it all seems to work in well.”

Stablemate Silvanito is an emergency for the Midway and if he doesn’t gain a start Doyle said he’s still well suited in the TAB Handicap (1400m) despite a wider gate.

The gelding had a hard luck story when he was a beaten favourite in a Midway two weeks ago, he jumped too well and found himself in the lead and after being attacked became a sitting shot.

Doyle said he was gallant in defeat there and hopes he’ll have something to aim at on Saturday.

“You could see the way he was racing, his ears were pricked and when James went for him his head came up,’’ he said.

“James said if he’d had a bunny or something to aim up with he’d sprint like a different horse. We’ll ride him with a bit of cover and I’m sure we’ll see a horse flatten out a lot better.

“I think he’s found a good (benchmark) 78, I’d like a bit softer gate but we’re going to ride him with cover anyway. Hopefully it pans out and he can slot in.”

Dalaalaat comes back from stakes company into the Congratulations Chris Waller Handicap (1300m) and it’s a case of what might have been for the gelding in last month’s Ramornie Handicap.

The Newcastle trainer said that race just didn’t work out how they’d planned and given he was only beaten two lengths he can only speculate about where he should have finished.

The Extreme Cat wins at Hawkesbury on July 21

“We wanted to be positive and ended up about tenth in the run so we came out at the 350m and there was no run so he went back inside,’’ he said.

“He’s a momentum horse and arguably he should have been in the finish.

“We’ll roll forward with him anyway, his best runs are when he rolls forward. I don’t think rolling at a genuine tempo is a drama with him.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Rosehill meeting