If all goes according to plan handy mare Maybegrey will be lining up in the prestigious Country Championship Series next month.
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Trained by Leon Davies at Tamworth, the five-year-old mare kicks off her campaign in the tab.com.au Keith Swan Memorial, a Benchmark 64 event over 1200m at Gunnedah on Thursday.
The $100,000 Hunter & North West region Qualifier is conducted over 1400m at Scone on February 21.
Lightly raced with just 14 starts including four wins, Maybegrey has returned from a 182-day spell in great order according to Davies.
“She’s put on 50 to 60 kilos. She’s a big strong girl,” Davies added. “She’s come back bigger, stronger and mentally fully matured. It’s all there now. She’s filled out in all the right places.
“She’s still got to step up a bit but if she does the Country Championships is on the radar.”
Maybegrey is raced by family of Davies and his fiancé Melissa Dennett, managing part-owner Kevin Cooper, a TAB manager in Sydney, heading the syndicate.
Melissa Dennett’s mother Lesley formerly trained Maybegrey’s dam, Pure Sensation.
Davies has given the mare two trials at Scone (December 9) and Quirindi (December 26) to have her fit and ready to rumble first-up.
She won her second trial impressively by 4.8 lengths.
“She had a quiet trial first-up then had a good hit out at Quirindi,” Davies said. “She’s come through that really well.
“This should be a really good preparation. Touch wood it’s been foolproof so far.”
Maybegrey will carry 58.5kg with Darren Jones in the saddle and launches from barrier seven.
“She’s got a bit of weight and a somewhat awkward barrier but I expect her to roll forward and be very hard to beat,” Davies added. “A bit of sting out of the track won’t hurt her either.”
*** It's a seven-race card at Gunnedah's Riverside Racecourse on Thursday. Feature of the day is the Bective Station Somerton Cup, Benchmark 60 Handicap (2050m). First race jumps 2.05pm. Full race fields here.
