The barrier draw and a smart piece of work have swayed trainer Keith Dryden into believing Mighty Myrtle could sneak her way into the $1 million Evergreen Turf Country Championships via Goulburn on Sunday.
Dryden, who trains with Libby Snowden, said stablemate Everido went into the series as the team’s leading contender but since his first-up Canterbury win he’s had nothing go in his favour.
Both horses head into the $150,000 Country Championships Southern Wild Card (1400m) having contested the South East qualifying race at the Sapphire Coast where Dryden said both left with genuine excuses.
In Mighty Myrtle’s case she was a victim of the on speed, near the rails, pattern but still pleased the trainer running on into seventh while Everido’s race was over when the gates opened.
“She is a backmarker and races haven’t been run to suit, you obviously need a fair bit of pace on if you’re going to be back there,’’ Dryden said.
“It hasn’t been working out, she’s run really good races without being able to crack one.
“I thought her work on Tuesday morning was as good as we’ve had from her and she seems to be going well.”
The mare ran fourth in the Southern Wild Card last year when coming from an impossible position on the turn and Dryden feels she’s going as well if not better for her second shot.
Andrew Adkins rides the five-year-old, $31 with TAB on Friday, and he’ll need to do his best to keep her in touch.
“I’ll say to Andrew to be as close as you can without bustling her, if he could be midfield somewhere that’d be lovely,’’ he said.
“She ran well again the other day. I would love it to be a mile, now the other horse has drawn 20 she’s our best chance.”
Everido, a Canterbury winner first-up, was a $5.50 chance at the Sapphire Coast and Dryden felt he was ideally suited in barrier two that day given where you needed to be.
When he kicked out as the gates were opening, following a lengthy delay, and missed the start it left Alysha Collett with few options but to punch up and try to hold a position.
“He got back and we knew the rail was probably the best place to be, and up front where we wanted to be,’’ Dryden said.
“(Alysha) said there was a wall in front of her so she pulled him out and got off the rail and onto the worst part of the track. He didn’t handle the wet at all.
“I can’t see anything wrong with him, he’s worked just as good as before he won in Sydney but from 20 he’s going to need another luck.”
Dryden will send jockey Tyler Schiller out onto the Goulburn track with an open book to do his best to give Everido a run he can work with.
“He is going to have to work it out,’’ he said.
“He’ll have to ride for a bit of luck, there’s no good giving him any instructions because he’s too good a jockey to worry about that.”
Only the winner of the Southern Wild Card is granted a place in the Final to be run on April 4 at Royal Randwick.
Words: Ray Hickson (Racing NSW)
Image: Bradley Photos