Trainer keen on $11 chance's Wildcard prospects at Scone (Friday)

It’s the last chance for many to grab a berth in the Newhaven Park Country Championships Final and that includes imposing mare Melody Again ($11 on TAB).

MELODY AGAIN.
MELODY AGAIN. Picture: Martin King / Sportpix

The mare has with significant factors in her favour into Friday's Northern Country Championship Wildcard at Scone's Friday TAB meeting.

"It's a capacity field and a tough race obviously, but home it's her track and she's two from three there," Scone trainer Scott Singleton said.

"When this big mare draws inside, she always runs a race; I've made some gear changes and hoping for a strong tempo and she'll be motoring late."

The four- year-old offers the ultra-consistency of three wins and seven placings from just 11 career starts, including a powerful Rosehill Gardens Highway win and placings last preparation.

She carries an appealing 54kg limit for regular ride Mitchell Bell (barrier 8) into the $150,000, 1400m Wildcard where first and second qualify for the $1m Newhaven Park Country Championships Final at Royal Randwick on April 6, and on Friday there's 16 runners and four emergencies.

"We trialled her over 1000m at Muswellbrook last week with Mitch to keep her up to the mark - she's where we want her."

Significantly the only marginal runs by Melody Again this preparation was when she drew 16 at Royal Randwick and 12 of 14 at Tamworth.

Amidst that she was in the finish, twice at Sydney and Scone. Vitally some of the favourites are drawn precariously including last season's Championships winner Sizzle Minizzle (17) with a rider yet to be declared.

Singleton is among the majority who consider Matt Dunn's Rosehill Highway winner Belvedere Boys, the $2.25 favourite (barrier 5), to be the horse to beat especially with the booking of leading Brisbane jockey James Orman (56kg) who significantly is travelling to Scone for just two rides.

Orman is in super form, rides regularly for Dunn and rode Belvedere Boys for a Doomben double before it won the Rosehill Highway impressively.

"Has to be hard to beat, winning form and a gate," Singleton summed up.

At present Scone is a Soft 7 in fine weather with the rail in the true position with the Emirates Park and Coolmore Showcase races attracting quality and capacity fields.


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