Scone trainer Bernie Kelly admits Bobbing's Country Championship campaign so far has been more luck than design.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Judging, though, by his effort in the wildcard qualifier at Muswellbrook on March 22 and his final piece of serious work on Tuesday, the six-year-old looks on course for a history-making double.
Bobbing is the $4.50 favourite for Saturday's $400,000 final over 1400m at Randwick, where he claimed the provincial title last year when Kelly was based at Hawkesbury. A win on Saturday will make Bobbing the first to claim the provincial-country double.
Kelly, though, had been looking at other targets for his star, which finished third in the $1.3 million Kosciuszko in October.
However, a winless streak since the provincial final meant Bobbing stayed on five victories and therefore eligible for the country series. Kelly took a shot at the final qualifier, where he powered to the line to finish a narrow second to Two Big Fari and make the decider.
"We were going to Tamworth originally but we got barrier one, which is bad for him because of his racing pattern of getting back," Kelly said of the Hunter North-West country qualifier.
"To be honest, we never intended on going into the championships because we thought we'd win again.
"It wasn't by design, it was just the way it worked out. He was still eligible for it, so we thought we'd roll the dice."
Adding to Bobbing's chances is an excellent second-up record of two wins and a second from four attempts and a soft-track history of four victories and two seconds in six tries. Randwick was a soft 6 on Tuesday with the prospect of more rain this week.
"His record suggests he doesn't have too much ill-effect after his first-up runs and I'm satisfied with how he's going," Kelly said. "If we get some bang out of the track, that won't hurt us. He doesn't mind that, as long as we don't get a heavy track."
Kelly was also happy with Bobbing's last piece of major work on Tuesday with Scott Singleton aboard. He worked alone on a soft course proper at Scone over 1000m.
"He went five and two, going three-quarters the first 600 then he worked up over the last 400 in about 25," Kelly said. "I was quite happy with his work. He's never been a flash track worker at the best of times, but knowing the horse's little antics and the way he works, he looked good to the eye to me."
The barrier draw is Wednesday and Kelly hoped Bobbing, with Koby Jennings to ride, gained room to move.
"The last thing I want is to be hemmed in on the rails," he said. "He wants a bit of fresh air to get his momentum and breathing going."