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By Tony Megahey

Prolific Country Cups winner Michael Mulholland is guarded assessing his promising short-course flyer Dubbo Wanderer ($8.50 on TAB), which is fancied to lead and take some catching in the Rosehill Gardens 1300m, $100,000 TAB Highway on Saturday.

“He’s promising, real quick but the big questions are second-up and out to 1300m in a lot stronger race off a 900m win, wish it was 1200m, but he might pinch it,” offered Mulholland, who specialises in “milers” or further for his numerous regional Cups winners from Dubbo and Wellington stables.

Dubbo Wanderer (Jake Pracey-Holmes) wins at Wellington. Image by Janian McMillan (Racing Photography)

Mulholland, striving for his first Highway success, thought his three-race winning Wandjina gelding showed enough on successive early wins to contest last season’s 1400m CDRA Championship qualifier at Mudgee.

And he was impressive enough resuming to win over 900m with 60kg at Coonabarabran recently into a 'Gardens $100K Class 3 episode with 56.5kg for regular rider Jake Pracey-Holmes.

In the Mudgee feature, he disputed the lead before fading behind class mare and dual Highway winner Zoo Station. The 1400m and the class was beyond him.

But Jake rated him perfectly to win 900m first-up and they drop 2.5kg from barrier 11.

“You stick with jockeys who are loyal, Jake’s ridden him for all three wins, deserves the opportunity in town. There’s a fine line, he can fire up and over-race, but Jake gets him to settle.

“He isn’t reliable at the barrier but he musters and can section. And we’ll come in a few gates where emergencies are drawn.”

So the plan to lead is obvious and so is the trip to town while he’s eligible for the $100,000 and a BOBS bonus.

Originally, Mulholland became a hobby trainer when a lengthy drought drastically affected the beef cattle enterprise of he and wife Melissa. And that’s a prime reason Michael will remain on the farm while Melissa trucks Dubbo Wanderer to Rosehill on Friday afternoon.

The Talbragar River bordering their property has burst it’s banks more than ever. And all are aware of the disasters at Lismore.

“Bad year up here, never seen so much flooding, I’ve got a mob of cattle still stranded across the river that I can’t reach, all the fencing and access roads have been washed away.

“We’ve got 18 horses at Dubbo and a half dozen at Wellington that have to be looked after, so I’ll be watching the race on TV. Stack of work and long hours I’ll tell you.”

Aside another speedster Moruya’s consistent Howgoodisvegas ($16) is a big watch at value odds for Colbey Hill after being scratched from a heavy track and a wide barrier in a Highway two weeks ago.

From a good draw she’s certain to be right on pace with Dubbo Wanderer and likely to finish off stronger off 1400m and 1600m form. At present 'The Gardens' is a Soft 5 in overcast weather.

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