Alex Malliff drew first blood in the Rob Koch Memorial FNQ Up and Coming Stayers series for 2024 and the Mareeba trainer is keen to go on with it to honour his late mate.

With connections already having booked accommodation for the Battle of the Bush Final in Brisbane later this year, there was a fair weight of expectation on mare Hit Snooze.

With just three horses in work, Innisfail trainer Krystin Allender says she would be “over the moon” to qualify one of her gallopers for the 2021 TAB Battle of the Bush Final.

Trainer Brad Widdup believes speedy filly Mareeba is in at the right time of year and expects she can make an impression on debut in Saturday's Peter Poulton AM Maiden Handicap (1000m) at Kembla Grange.