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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Brett Robb hopes his Wellington Boot winner Comongin can develop into a Country Championships prospect but he’d first like to see him return in good order at Narromine on Monday.

Trainer Brett Robb (Pic: Janian McMillan)

The three-year-old has been mixing it with stable headliner Gallant Star in preparation for the Qube Agri Handicap (1100m) and that tells Robb that he has the potential to progress.

Comongin led all the way to win the Wellington Boot and it’s only a tricky barrier draw that concerns the Dubbo trainer.

“He’s a good honest little horse and he’s coming up super,’’ he said.

“I jumped him out with Gallant Star the other day and he put it right to him so you’d think on that he’d be hard to beat.

“I know the Boot wasn’t that strong but he did beat them well. He’s going to be a Country Championships horse if he can get the 1400m.”

Stablemate Miss Karis has drawn alongside Comongin and Robb said while she has a record of one win from 16 starts she’s racing in the sort of form at present that says she’s not to be overlooked.

She’s backing up after running on into third at Bathurst last weekend.

“She could come down the outside and get him,’’ he said.

“She’s in form and one of those horses that’s really thriving, she’s probably the healthiest horse in the stable at the moment.”

Blackfish notched her first win for Robb at her fourth run for his team at Wellington at the start of the month and he says the Nutrien Ag Solutions Plate (1600m) is within reach.

“She won a weak race the other day but there’s another win in her,’’ he said.

“She’s honest, she tries, she won over 1400m but she probably wants a mile.

“She was placed at a mile at Narromine the start before when she was still a maiden and I thought she ran well, covering ground, but she still hit the line.”

Four-year-old gelding West Head is unbeaten in two starts for Robb, both at 1600m, and he’s wary the Benjamin Smith Memorial (1300m) could be a bit sharp.

While he’s not had an official trial Robb is satisfied the horse is fit enough to run a big race fresh.

“He’s had the one jump out here, he’s a horse that will want a mile or more so that’s why we picked a 1300m race first-up,’’ he said.

“He’s had plenty of miles in his legs, he’s plenty fit enough, and I think he will run well. It’s a perfect race for him.”

Meanwhile, Gallant Star will be the star of the show when he kicks off his Kosciuszko preparation in a barrier trial after the last race at Narromine.

Comongin wins the Wellington Boot

Robb plans to go into the $2m race first-up.

“Everything’s on track with him so far. He’ll trial at Narromine then he’ll trial at Dubbo on the third then go into the Kosciuszko fresh,’’ he said.

“We went into it second-up last time and we didn’t think he ran up to his best. I thought he ran well first-up in the Dubbo sprint last year so we’ll take that approach.”

All the fields, form and replays for Monday's Narromine meeting