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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Cameron Crockett is relying on his in-form online find Durova finding Randwick’s Theatre Of The Horse somewhat mesmerising.

The Scone trainer took a punt on the mare forking out $13,000 after she failed a vet check for another sale on the advice that the issue which caused her to fail the check, being declared a roarer, wasn’t troubling her.

Cameron Crockett with Durova (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Crockett had the then three-year-old scoped independently and said while she does make some noise when galloping it’s no cause for concern.

After four wins out of town, Durova makes her return to city racing in the Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1000m) at Randwick on Tuesday.

“She’s just gone from strength to strength since she’s been here,’’ Crockett said.

“I trialled her this week because I thought she’s going to go six weeks between runs and I don’t want the day to get the better of her.”

The day has got the better of Durova in three of her four wins for Crockett and it wasn’t until her third win at Newcastle in mid-September that he cottoned on to why.

Prior to her debut for Crockett at Dubbo the horse refused to settle into the tie up stalls and had to be constantly walked to remain calm. Or as close to calm as possible.

Crockett described her behaviour as like a lunatic despite being “quiet as a mouse and bombproof” at home.

At her second start at Tamworth she was fine, but at Newcastle she was at it again.

“We worked out the strangest thing. From the Newcastle tie ups you can see the grandstand and enclosure like she could at Dubbo,’’ he said.

“At Tamworth you can’t see it. For whatever reason, we took her back to Dubbo and she was the same again and I didn’t even try to tie her up.

“She has got a lot better, she was still a bit funny because she could see the enclosure.

“I think she will be fine at Randwick. The tie ups are out the back, you don’t hear the races and you can’t see the enclosure. And they don’t know they are going to the enclosure until they pop up in there.

“A lot of them get mesmerised and don’t realise what’s going on.”

Durova, $4.40 with TAB on Sunday, last raced at Dubbo on September 28 and she easily accounted for her handy stablemate Dances With Hooves, who runs in the Barn Dance on Tuesday, in an 1100m sprint.

He said the Randwick 1000m should suit the four-year-old, especially if the race is truly run, and while he’d planned to bring her to town sooner the extra time has done wonders for Durova’s race day temperament.

“I own her so I can do what I want, which makes it easy. Since she’s got a bit more confident she’s putting herself in a better spot,’’ he said.

“With that time between runs she’s going to be a bit fresh. Racing in that easier grade has made everything a bit easier for her and with the motor she’s got she’s doing it quite easily.

“It’s like her head has gone ‘this isn’t as hard as what I thought it was’.”

Dances With Hooves was placed over a mile at Randwick back in January and Crockett says she’s a knockout chance at least in the $250,000 Barn Dance (1300m).

After chasing home Durova at Dubbo she was beaten as favourite over 1100m at Scone and the trainer said she’s ready to step up in distance.

“She’s never been as sharp as she is now she’s had a proper spell,’’ he said.

Durova wins at Dubbo on September 28

“She was carrying dourness through her last preps. She might need a bit further but I know she loves Randwick, she’s drawn the perfect gate and it’s going to be a big field.

“She was favourite at Scone but I wasn’t over confident because she drew barrier one.

“You can’t ride her for luck because she struggles a little bit if she has to stop and go again”

Cameron Crockett on Rajnish (race 7): “It’s a throw at the stumps because we qualified and he’s going well. He’s in over his head but we might as well make the most of it.”

All the fields, form and replays for Tuesday's Big Dance meeting at Randwick