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Canberra trainer Keith Dryden is getting plenty of winners at home and has accepted with eight runners for Friday’s meeting (8 January).

Dryden is currently second on in the Canberra Trainers Premiership with 10 winners at a strike-rate of 21.3% and always needs to be kept safe.

Leading hoop Brendan Ward is down to ride five of the Dryden gallopers.

In Race 1 Dryden is represented by Prince Jacko (Ward) and Capital Tycoon and while he says Prince Jacko could ultimately be the best horse he has in on-the-day he is a work in progress.

“He’s a bit green and has not been getting away from the barriers too clean and he needs more distance than 1000m.

“At the moment he is a bit of a scaredy-cat and running away from horses, but I have put the barrier blanket on him and the blinkers first time and we hope he won’t over-race and can find a trail.

“Capital Tycoon has been showing me pace on the track. She disappointed last time at Moruya, but none of my horses performed down there that day and I believe they didn’t travel well down the hill.

“She will go forward from the wide barrier and I think she will run a nice race.”

In Race 3 Dryden has Kingmandu (Ward) engaged and has raced well in two starts.

“He is a big heavy horse and I am not quite sure whether he will handle a really wet track, but having said that he has worked well and deserves a crack at Canberra to see where we are at with him. I expect him to be running well.

“Kardomah Boy (Race 4) is a stayer and is working into it. His last three runs have been good without breaking through and he was left in front too early at Wagga last time.

“But I know he doesn’t like it too wet and he may be scratched if it is.”

Media Vita (Ward) is a new horse to the Dryden stable and goes around in Race 5.

“I don’t know much about him; Joe Pride had him before. He has not shown me a lot, but he is a nice horse and I am hoping he will stay a bit. That’s why I am starting him at 1400m first up — and whether he can handle the wet I don’t know.”

Shahdaroba in Race 6 looks one of Dryden’s strongest chances.

“Her last two runs have been excellent. She was a very difficult horse at the barriers, but seems to have matured a lot and has been very well behaved her last two runs and worked home nicely in both.

“On the way she has pulled up and worked I think she is an excellent chance and a wet track would probably suit her.

“De Tulips (Ward) (Race 7) has been forced to carry big weights so I have stepped her up in class, but I doubt she will handle it too wet though and she could possibly be scratched if it is.”

In Race 8 Dryden has put a 4kg apprentice on Crusader General to get some weight relief.

“The horse is only a little fellow and is not an apprentice’s horse. But he can’t carry the 61kg so you have little choice but to put one on.

“He’s an honest race horse, but it would be hard to see him winning all the same.

Dryden says his stable start Beau Tirage is coming along slowly and at this stage will race on Black Opal Day in the Camarena Quality.