Goulburn trained mare Can She Kiss heads to the races on her home track on Friday having to blow raspberries at yet another awkward draw.
Since resuming this campaign the mare has been unable to draw any sort of marble coming up with barriers 9, 12, 9, 8 and 10 in her last five starts.
Prepared by the tablelands training partnership of Scott Collings and Keith Dryden, Can She Kiss will again have to do it the hard way after drawing nine of twelve runners in the Australian Stockyard Co F&M B55 event over 1200m.
Despite the poor draws of late Can She Kiss hasn’t finished further than two and half lengths off the winner at her last four starts. Those small margins have included a runner up effort on her home track three starts ago. At her last start in Canberra Can She Kiss was beaten less than a length into fifth after drawing barrier ten and settling well back in the field.
Trainer Scott Collings was hoping for a change of fortune for the mare on his home track but when she drew poorly it prompted Collings to choose “crying over laughing”!
However, the trainer believes the Oratorio mare is still a chance of kissing her rivals goodbye on her home patch.
“I believe she is going as well as ever,” Collings said.
“Every run this preparation has been super, it’s just been the wide barriers that have been stopping her.”
The wide draw leaves jockey Mathew Cahill with a genuine task to earn his riding fee, but Collings remains optimistic she is a live chance in the race.
“Yes I do think she is up to it, I think she is a great chance on her home track come Friday”.
The Dryden / Collings training partnership stable also has three other runners engaged at the meeting. The consistent Force Of Magic steps out in race two with Kathy O’Hara in the saddle after one run from a spell. Collings thinks the rise in distance will suit.
“We are also expecting a good run from him,” Collings said.
The stable’s two other acceptors, Background Scalper and The Big Bomber were also nominated for Wagga on Sunday but will more than likely will step out at Goulburn.
Of the other local trainers saddling up runners, the Danny Williams yard looks poised to continue its consistent home track strike rate with a couple of promising late season two year olds on show. Williams backs up debut Moruya winner Harvest Dream in a Benchmark 54 event whilst recent trial winner Chewbacca looks set for a very competitive debut showing in the opening event on the program.
The first of eight races at Goulburn on Friday commences at 11.55am with some very competitive winter racing on show. The track is currently rated a Good 4.
View the final fields with full form and race replays for Goulburn here.
