Albury trainer Mitch Beer is poised to line up two Country Championship prospects at Randwick on Saturday in preparation for this month’s qualifying heats.
With the countdown to this year’s Country Championships firmly on, Mitchell Beer is set to line up two of his better candidates this Saturday at Randwick.
In what has potential to be a promising series for the Southern Districts trainer; with six runners from his stable heading toward this month’s qualifying heats, Beer has nominated Scarlet Prince and stable star Sunrise Ruby to contest at Randwick on Saturday.
Set to make his Highway debut, promising three-year-old colt Scarlet Prince will be looking to return to his winning ways after finishing fifth at Caulfield last start.
Although unable to salute and bring up the hat-trick of wins in his Victorian expedition, Beer was obviously disappointed with the result but was pleased with his colt’s efforts and believes had the race shaped out differently he would’ve finished much closer.
“Stepping out to the 1400m first time he drew wide and had to work hard to the front. He got lost and then got on his wrong leg around the corner,” Beer said.
“He’s a pretty smart horse, I quite like him. I don’t think he’s too dissimilar to Sunrise Ruby who he’s a full brother to; I certainly don’t have any less of opinion for him as I do for her.
“His win at Albury was really smart for a young three-year-old learning his craft. He’ll only get better with time.
“He’s like her (Sunrise Ruby), won on a heavy, won on a good, it doesn’t really matter – but I think the wetter the better only because it pulls a few of the other ones up. He can run the same sort of race on a Good 4 as he can on a Heavy 9.”
Having been spelled after what was an extensive campaign that culminated with a worse than midfield finish in last year’s edition of The Kosciuszko, lightly raced four-year-old mare Sunrise Ruby is set to resume, dual nominated in Benchmark 78 grade over 1200m and 1300m.
Thrilled with how the daughter of Casino Prince has returned, Beer is confident his mare has developed nicely during her spell and is poised for a quality campaign.
“She’s come back a lot more seasoned,” Beer said.
“That was only her second racing preparation, I think she’ll be looking for further this time in; I’ve always thought she’d be a good seven-furlong horse.
“She had a trial here the other day and she was just a bit fresh. She had a good blow after that and her gallop on the grass post that was terrific, it was as good as she was going last preparation.”
With all things going to plan for Beer, he intends to target both of Saturday’s runners at the Country Championships, as well stablemates Mnementh, Swagger, Snow Bella and Power Me Up.
Beer plans to take his strong contingent of runners to the Southern Districts heat at Wagga Wagga on the 19th of February in the hopes of qualifying for the final on April 2 at Randwick.
