Ultimate Risk may have had a little help from above to qualify for the Regional Championships final are connections are hoping for a lot more of it on Friday.
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The seven-year-old mare booked her place in the group one with an all-the-way victory at Riverina Paceway last week to provide a shining moment during a tough time for co-owner Linda Inwood.
Inwood raced the mare with her late husband Don as well with trainer Darren Richardson and his partner Fiona Fitzgerald.
The Wagga Harness Racing club life member died after a short illness last month and the mare delivered a much-needed boost.
"It's been very tough for Linda at the moment," Richardson said.
"She said they've had horses in group threes and group twos but never had a horse in a group one.
"Linda is pretty happy and Don would be too that they've just qualified."
Richardson believes plenty will have to go their way to be in with a chance in Wagga's first group one.
However just qualifying was a highlight itself.
While Ultimate Risk has always shown plenty of ability throughout her career, manners is something that has often let the mare down.
A winner of nine of her 63 starts, plus another 15 placings, Ultimate Risk has been much more consistent this time around.
The Wagga trainer credited changing her gear to finally helping her settle better.
"She will probably need a little bit more help from above," Richardson said.
"But it is nice (to be there) and it is surprising as she has never run 2200 before.
"We've played with a bit of gear this time in, and a bit of feed, and her last two runs she has stopped pulling.
"Adam drove her a couple of starts back and said if she doesn't pull she will get the 2200.
"I put her in with a bit of hope she would behave herself and she did."
Nephew Adam Richardson was at the helm for her win, plus her placing when resuming from a spell last month.
A group one drive is a reward for the decision to relocate to Leeton with partner Alannah Pitt after enjoying plenty of success in Queensland.
Richardson drove 56 winners this season north of the border before making the move in March, after finishing fifth in the Queensland premiership with 114 winners last season.
However both were keen to come back to their Riverina roots.
"It's a big change and it took a lot of thought to make our mind up but we thought we would come down and have a go at training a few and see how we go," Richardson said.
Ultimate Risk ran a mile rate of 1:58.2 to take out the ninth heat of the series.
It was the slowest of the heat winners after getting away with a slow 32.3 second first quarter before zipping home in a last half of 57 seconds to down an unlucky Rockita by 3.1 metres.
She has drawn barrier two in the final which is a big boost for connections.
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