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By Ray Hickson

It’s taken some time for trainer Danielle Seib to step lightly raced mare Denarau out in distance but she's quietly confident the patience of all concerned can pay off at Kembla Grange on Wednesday.

Trainer Danielle Seib (Pic: Bradley Photos)

The Goulburn trainer has only been in charge of the five-year-old for her current preparation and she says the right platform has been laid after five runs to break through in the Canadian Club Handicap (2000m).

A heavy track doesn’t concern Seib as Denarau’s maiden win back in June 2022, when trained by John O'Shea, was in such ground and she pushed subsequent city winner Hellfire Express on heavy at an unsuitable 1410m second-up.

“Her only win was on the heavy and she shows a real liking for it at home so I’m confident she will get through it,’’ she said.

“She had a long time off, a couple of little issues which meant she came out and came in.

“She’s not a mare that you can work hard at home so you have to race her into fitness and build that confidence with her. She’s been taking that little extra step every time.”

Denarau, $2.90 with TAB on Tuesday, charged home from the back to just miss at Moruya on December 17 then backed up six days later and had a checkered run when fifth behind Magic Pharoah in a Highway at Randwick.

Jean Van Overmeire, who rode at Moruya, is back on board after Tyler Schiller partnered the five-year-old last start.

“I thought it was a super run, she’s a momentum horse and she didn’t get an inch of it,’’ she said.

“To still clock the third fastest last 600m of the race and never get out was pretty impressive.

“Tyler’s feedback and Jean’s the start before was that she’s knocking on the door.”

The prospect of a small field is a small query for Seib if the race turns into a sprint home but she says everything that’s in her control is perfect.

“She’s a quirky mare and I’ll be leaving it up to Jean. He rode her very cold from a bad gate at Moruya but she does jump well,’’ she said.

“So long as they are going a genuine gallop. You wouldn’t like to see a sit and sprint with only a few horses in it. He’ll be able to judge the pace and ride her accordingly.”

Meanwhile, Seib is hopeful four-year-old gelding Associate can develop into a Newhaven Park Country Championships contender but says there’s a bit riding on his next start in a Highway on January 20.

Associate had a wide run when he finished a close fifth behind Golden Decade in a Class 3 Highway on December 9.

Denarau runs fifth at Randwick on December 23

“He was pretty unlucky in a Highway first-up,’’ she said.

“At his first race start in town he was pipped on the line by Strait Acer. He’s had a couple of setbacks but he’s got a ton of ability and I’m excited to get some consistent racing into him.”

The South East Country Championships is run at Moruya on March 3 and with just one win from five starts Associate will need to lift his benchmark with a win to have a chance of making the final field.

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday’s Kembla Grange meeting