The region's leading jockey has chosen his ride for the Southern District Country Championships Qualifier.
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Blaike McDougall will link with Oamanikka for the $150,000 feature at Murrumbidgee Turf Club on Feburary 20 after an impressive showing at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Albury trainer Donna Scott was 'over the moon' after Oamanikka was narrowly beaten in his city debut.
Oamanikka was beaten a head after flashing home late in the $50,000 Benchmark 64 Hcp, (1200m) with apprentice Campbell Rawiller aboard.
Oamanikka will now head to the Country Championships and will be boosted by having McDougall commit to the ride.
McDougall has had one previous ride on the gelding when saluting at Albury late last year.
Scott said she couldn't have hoped for a better performance from Oamanikka in regards to the lead-up to the Country Championships.
"I was over the moon with the run," Scott said. "I had no real expectations of how he would perform and I was just hoping he wouldn't disgrace himself.
"To get beaten a head was easily a career best performance.
"It's tough enough just being competitive on country tracks in Victoria but to be able to just get beat in the city is a terrific effort even though it was only in Benchmark 64 grade.
Scott is set to have a four-pronged attack on the $150,000 feature with stablemates Halo Warrior, Bautista and Gottaluvtrucks.
Mathew Cahill has been booked to ride Halo Warrior after combining to win the Championships preview at Albury last week.
John Kissick has picked-up the ride aboard Bautista while Winona Costin is set to partner Gottaluvtrucks.
Scott said Rawiller was lavish in his praise of Oamanikka after partnering the gelding for the first time.
"Campbell said there is still plenty of upside and he is a genuine horse," she said.
"He felt he would be hard to beat next start.
"The stable got a message from Nash Rawiller's manager on Monday that Nash was happy to ride the horse if we made the final.
"So Campbell must have rang his dad to tell him the horse goes alright."
