Long before Burning Sands won on debut last June veteran trainer Stu Dromgool thought he had found something special.
A little after 2.37pm in race seven at Rotorua today he finds out if that premonition will be vindicated.
Fresh from a seven-month break, Burning Sands races a fiercely competitive midweekdash of one-race winners chasing a $15,000 bonus.
But Dromgool and his Cambridge training partner, son Neil, are confident their lightly raced Sandtrap filly can deliver for long-time stable client Peter Le Clerc.
The semi-retired Stu Dromgool, one-time trainer of a slew of staying stars, including Cups king Royal Cadenza, targeted Burning Sands for the race more than two months back.
"If it had been 1100m I would be extremely confident she would win - you couldn't say that now in testing ground first-up," admits Dromgool.
"But she trialled and has worked up good since and when she won her first race we thought she was on the fat side. She kept on giving that day - we can only hope she keeps on giving tomorrow."
Dromgool has already struck bonus cash with Burning Sands - banking a $7500 incentive for her Northland owner-breeder last June.
They've had to be patient since - the filly jarred up two races later at Taupo - but a close trial's third last month to impressive Te Aroha winner Del Toro proved Dromgool's master plan was back on track.
"I think she's far better than R72 company; I suppose tomorrow will tell the story," said Dromgool.
While enjoying a reasonable run of success for Le Clerc through a 35-year association, ironically Dromgool's biggest return for his owner so far is with a horse they never raced.
Dromgool prepared his Sandtrap gelding Captain Happy for two trials wins two years ago before he was sold to Hong Kong for $120,000.
In a wide-open field, Cambridge rival Crusader Belle shapes as one of the toughest for Dromgool and Le Clerc to tumble today.
The City On A Hill filly looked above average last campaign and trainer Graham Thomas expects her to be running home strongly fresh-up. "She's only just ready, to be fair," said Thomas. "I haven't trialled her, but she should go a pretty good race."
