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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Neil Osborne has two chances to ensure Spirits Burn Deep gets her opportunity to contest the South East Country Championships next month so would like to make the mare’s second-up run at Wyong on Saturday count.

Trainer Neil Osborne (Pic: Bradley Photos)

The five-year-old will be having her 19th start when she lines up in the TAB Highway (1100m) so she can only have one more start to remain eligible for the Championships.

Osborne is aware that no runs can be wasted if he wants to ensure Spirits Burn Deep, who has won two of her 18 starts, gets her shot at the $150,000 race run at Nowra on February 22.

“We need to perform in that race on Saturday to get her rating up,’’ he said.

“You’re going to nearly need to be a 70 to get into that race at Nowra I reckon.

“But I think she’s going better than what she was in that last preparation. Her work this week was sensational.”

Spirits Burn Deep contested three Highways in the late winter and early spring with a close second behind Super Norwest in a 1400m event at Rosehill her best result.

She resumed with an unlucky second at the Sapphire Coast in a 1000m scamper on December 29 where she was caught wide after drawing the outside in a seven horse field but kept coming to the line to be beaten about a neck.

“She should have won, you can’t sit three deep at the Sapphire Coast and win,’’ Osborne said.

“I suppose the other bloke (Beer Baron) sat four deep and won but he’s a bit better.

“She was a bit stiff in the three Highways. She didn’t get a crack at them in the two she ran unplaced in and the day we ran second we should have led.”

Winona Costin has the ride on the mare at Wyong and Osborne said it’s a nice asset to have a horse that can handle any type of surface given the rain around this week.

He’d just hope for the breaks when Costin needs it from what he says looks a favourable draw.

“There looks to be a lot of pace in the race,’’ he said.

“Matt Dale’s (Duke Of Bronte) has drawn the one and looks like it leads most of his race. She’ll be very competitive, she can sit just off them a bit and if she gets a bit of luck she’ll be there.”

Meanwhile, Osborne has the fingers crossed for a breakthrough from seven-year-old Call Me Artie when he ventures to Queanbeyan on Saturday for a 1200m Benchmark 58.

With four wins from 66 starts, and his last win in June 2022, he’s not a regular in the winner’s circle but this preparation he seems to have a slightly different attitude with two placings from as many runs.

He was narrowly beaten at Queanbeyan first-up then went to Gundagai on New Year’s Day and collected a third placing.

Spirits Burn Deep runs second at Sapphire Coast on December 29

“If he chooses to try he can probably nearly win,’’ he said.

“He was getting back and saying ‘that’ll do me’ whereas in two starts this time in he’s been on pace.

“I think he was a bit stiff the other day, second-up, he did a bit much early and tired.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Wyong meeting