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By Tony Megahey

A lengthy Godolphin education guarantees veteran trainer Tony Ball has an emerging talent in Xtra Approval ($13 on TAB) in Saturday's $100,000 TAB Highway (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens.

Gun rider Willie Pike reinforced Ball's opinion on sprinter Xtra Approval last start and Ball couldn’t return to town quick enough for Saturday's Highway.

“Willie got off him, said if he doesn’t jib and bomb the start, he finishes at the girth of the winner,” said the Taree trainer after Xtra Approval came from near last to finish five lengths fourth in one of the strongest episodes of recent times in the heavy at Royal Randwick (1200m) last Saturday.

Trainer Tony Ball leading one of his horses at Newcastle. Image by Bradley Photographers

It was won by outstanding filly Opal Ridge to emerge a leading The Kosciuszko contender.

Xtra Approval carries 56kg less the 1kg claim for brilliant apprentice Reece Jones in what is an entrée to another superb menu of Group racing.

“In the heavy we’d planned to lead from the good gate, same as when he was dominant in those conditions at Taree, but that went haywire; he can be a scoundrel at the barrier.

“That was a hot race, this isn’t as tough. The form around the winner is enormous.

“She was a close second at Randwick to that Godolphin’s Troach who won that a Listed fillies’ at Moonee Valley, might just be one of the best fillies in Australia.

“Last week back in the field was no place to be, conditions just got worse, and we were in an early race.

“I’m not one for a quick-back-up. But he’s done so well, and this is a more suitable race with any luck from the draw.

“Out to the 1400m suits better and the wide barrier is no disaster. We’ll come in a few where the emergencies are drawn.

“Plan is to try and lead but in there’s opposition with the same idea, drawn inside, we’ll take a sit. But off that he’ll run me a race.

“I wouldn’t be backing him up and coming all this way if I thought otherwise.”

Meanwhile, Ball spent over a decade working with the elite.

“I was at Godolphin when Peter Snowden won just about every two-year-old Listed and Group race in Australia, Sepoy was the best I saw.

“Then John O’Shea whom I’m still close to, Darren Beadman and then James Cummings.

“Amazing, I was training a few in Taree when my wife Barbara saw an advertisement from Godolphin in The Land newspaper. She applied, I got an interview and landed the job.

“Career defining for country folk, we had two boys and lived at Warwick Farm, life-time experience when you’re working with elite horses and trainers, and I’ve still got 20 in work up here.”

Xtra Approval is wide in the betting in an extremely open market with the Joe Burges-trained Zaru the $6 TAB favourite ahead of Keen Contributer (Scott Singleton) and Scarlet Prince (Mitch Beer) at $7.

At present the track is a Soft 5 in fine weather with the chance of showers on Friday

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Rosehill Gardens here