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In-form galloper Demanding Mo will need to rise to another level as he steps up in the weights for the SDRA Championship Preview (1400m) at Albury on Thursday.
Demanding Mo has never raced in better form winning two of his past three starts for Wagga trainer Graham Byatt who has only given him a total of five starts under his care.
The five-year-old won narrowly at Wagga with 55kg on his back last start but jumps 6kg for his toughest country test this campaign.
Demanding Mo carried the same weight of 61kg to victory over the same distance at Wagga on December 24.
A few of the candidates will be having their final starts on Thursday prior to the Newhaven Park Southern Districts Country Championships at Wagga on Saturday February 19.
One of those is Tap 'N' Run, while last start winner Snowbella and the resuming Albert The Cat are others in contention.
Demanding Mo defeated Mescaminto (fourth) at their most recent start when the latter started favourite and was having her first start for eight weeks.
Byatt feels Demanding Mo is up to the challenge and hopes the track improves from its Wednesday rating of a Soft 6.
"I don't feel he likes it too wet, but the track should improve so he should run well," he said.
"The horse has done well since so I expect him to run just the same as last start."
Byatt said Demanding Mo was ineligible for the Country Championships as he hadn't been under his care long enough to qualify.
Tap 'N' Go appears to be right on target after a strong first-up third was followed by an impressive trial victory at Albury. The gelding has finished in the top three each time he has raced at Albury and has only missed a place twice from nine starts.
Snowbella won second-up at her latest start for Albury trainer Mitch Beer who will also be represented by Isola Sacra and Miss Isolation. Isola Sacra will be having her first start for Beer after being purchased from New Zealand.
Byatt will also have the consistent Cranberry King and debutant Sideshow Bob starting on Thursday.
Cranberry King has raced three times for two seconds and a fourth and looks well placed to break through, while Sideshow Bob is likely to need more distance, according to his trainer.
Named after a cartoon character on The Simpsons TV show, Sideshow Bob ran second in his only recent trial at Tumut.
Cranberry King steps up to 60kg for his assignment with leading jockey Matthew Cahill aboard.
"The race looks no harder than his last start when he was just beaten," Byatt said.
Meanwhile, Tap 'N' Run's trainer Ron Stubbs will start debutante Sparring in The Essential Utensil Maiden (900m) after an impressive trial victory. Sparring won the trial by 11 lengths on January 20 and looks well placed to breakthrough on his home track.
