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By Tony Megahey

With the Newhaven Park Country Championships looming it’s timely that prolific TAB Highway original Keith Dryden returns with form stablemates Eastern Glow ($6 on TAB) and Trooper Knuckle ($6.50) to Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

With six recent wins between them they are weighted to take beating in the $120,000 Class 3, 1400m, typically placed to perfection by the ACT’s 2019 The Kosciuszko-winning trainer and regular Championships contender.

Eastern Glow (Billy Owen; red cap) staves off Slickman (Grant Buckley) to score at Moruya. Image by Bradley Photographers

Keith’s grand veteran Handle the Truth emerged winning Highways in 2018 as a platform towards those memorable occasions.

And while it’s far too premature to compare, three wins apiece on a streak by the four and five-year-old geldings with weight suggests better races.

They are getting valuable kilos off the favourites and topweights King of Spades and Seahaven.

Typically targeted by Dryden who has won over a dozen Highways since its inception.

Eastern Glow with a recent southern track treble wins with 60kg and 59kg, carries 57.5kg for the in-form Tyler Schiller and Trooper Knuckle, three wins from four starts 55.5kg, less the 3kg claim for Amy McLucas who has ridden several recent Highway winners apprenticed to the Longmire Twins at Goulburn.

“I haven’t had the opportunity or the right horse to come up for a Highway for over 12 months, but they're race fit in winning form and well weighted,” offered Dryden.

“Pinning me down, Eastern Glow even though he’s drawn wide, Trooper Knuckle is getting towards the end of a prep but is well in with the claim. Both are genuine and in the zone.

“Tyler the way he’s riding won’t need any instructions, I’ll leave him to make the decision at the jump.

“But this gelding races on-pace and the way he’s been closing at 1300m, no problems out to 1400m.”

Schiller rode regularly from his early Riverina base for Dryden before linking with Mark Newnham.

“Amy has had a good grounding, the confidence of riding plenty of winners this season, really capable.

“From the draw, we’ll go forward and take advantage of the claim.”

Often the fresh blood is the way to go if the regular Highway participants have reached their limit.

In early markets Danielle Seib’s recent series winner King of Spades ($4.40 favourite) is up to 59kg less the 2kg claim for Dylan Gibbons.

At present 'The Gardens is a Soft 5 in overcast conditions.

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