By Neil Evans
He’s often the local insurance against a regular stream of metropolitan visitors, and with the first steps about to be taken on the Country Championship trail, he needs no further incentive.
Home track trainer Dean Mirfin is sweating on a race-to-race double strike at Tuesday’s feature Bathurst meeting with two lightly raced gallopers whose best days should still be in front of them.
Racing returns to Bathurst on Tuesday.Credit:AFR
In yet another central-western meeting that could be dominated by Sydney stables, most notably a big team from the Bjorn Baker yard, Mirfin has only two runners, but they both look hard to beat in the final two races.
Lightly raced filly Ida’s Rules tackles a Maiden Handicap over 1300m at just her third start, and aiming to go one better after back-to-back second placings over 1000m at Orange.
A daughter of Group 1 Caulfield Guineas winner Press Statement, Ida’s Rules draws well in what looks a thinner race for her, especially with leading country jockey Ashley Morgan returning after riding her on debut.
Then stablemate Dream Ahead four-year-old De Forerunner shapes as the clear one to beat fourth-up in the closer – a moderate Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1400m.
Already with two wins and four placings from only eight starts, De Forerunner was beaten under a length at big odds in a much tougher metro BM 64 at Randwick on Boxing Day before only being run down late in a deeper Class 2 at Orange 18 days ago.
He’s been asked to carry a hefty and career high 62.5kg, but this is a significant drop in quality, and Mirfin is likely to aim at a Highway race if he puts this field to the sword.
Sydney-based stables are likely to dominate the first five races at Bathurst before the Mirfin factor kicks in.
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au
