HIGHWAY BOUND: Wagga trainer Wayne Carroll will run Just Business in the Highway at Randwick on Saturday. Picture: Les Smith

WAGGA trainer Wayne Carroll will try to make it back-to-back Highway wins for the Southern District when Just Business heads to town on Saturday.

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After scratching from a Highway last month due to the outside barrier, Carroll has given the green light for Just Business to contest Saturday's $100,000 TAB Highway Class Three Plate (1800m) at Randwick.

Just Business highlighted his ability with back-to-back Wagga wins earlier this year and has returned this preparation to be aimed at the Highway.

Carroll expects a big run.

"He's been screaming for a dry track. Even though he's won on a wet track, he's not a wet tracker by any means. He's a different animal on a dry track," Carroll said.

"He's well. His form last start doesn't look well but he carried 62 on a bog track at Corowa. I'm not taking much notice of that. His work's been excellent. He drew a bit difficult but he gets back and they'll run along and we'll give ourselves a chance.

"It's all been working to this race, the 1800."

Jason Collett will take the ride, with Just Business, owned by Graeme Mathieson, drawing barrier 12.

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Simon Miller

FORMER Southern District jockey Simon Miller's trip to Darwin has been a success.

Miller made the move to Darwin in June to ride at the top end carnival and it is a move that has certainly paid dividends.

Miller won the $135,000 Palmerston Sprint (1200m) on Mayameen ($7.00) for trainer Chris Nash at Darwin on Saturday.

It was part of a winning double on the day for Miller.

He then grabbed second place in the $200,000 Darwin Cup (2050m) on Monday aboard Japanese import Danon Roman ($17) for Nash. Highly Decorated was an impressive winner of the feature.

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ALBURY apprentice jockey Fiona Sandkuhl enjoyed the first win of her career at Goulburn last Friday.

Sandkuhl combined with her boss, Mitch Beer, for success on Snowbella ($4.80) in the Benchmark 58 F&M Handicap (1300m).

It came at just her sixth race ride.

The 21-year-old has been with Beer since February last year after moving up from Victoria.

Sandkuhl was thrilled with the milestone win.

"Absolutely amazing. She's a beautiful horse and I was in shock when I passed the line," Sandkuhl told Sky Racing after the race.

Beer was also emotional post race.

"This girl, she's like part of the family. She's been with us a while and she's like a little sister to everyone and she's just a ripper," Beer told Sky.

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Another One

SMART Wagga galloper Another One will headline the barrier trial at Murrumbidgee Turf Club on Sunday.

Another One impressed in a jump out at Wagga on Tuesday and will make his first public appearance this preparation in the barrier trial at Wagga on Sunday.

Nick Heywood will take the ride.

Wagga trainer Gary Colvin will be looking for a forward showing, with the $1.3 million Kosciuszko the aim.

Tickets are on sale for The Kosciuszko, with the 14 slots being drawn on September 9.

All going well from Sunday's barrier trial, Colvin plans to run Another One first-up at Randwick on Saturday, August 21, in a $135,000 Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m).

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Blaike McDougall

AN OUTSTANDING season wrapped up for Albury jockey Blaike McDougall at Goulburn last Friday.

It was only fitting that McDougall landed a winning treble on what was his final day of riding for the 2020-21 season.

It gave McDougall 196 winners for the season, an outstanding achievement. More than half of those came in the Southern District.

McDougall fell five wins short of Chris Parnham in the national jockey's title, but claimed the NSW statewide, country and Southern District premierships, along with titles at a host of country tracks.

The new season did not start as well, with McDougall having a fall at Forbes on Sunday.

He was able to walk away from the scare, but is going to have follow up scans after standing himself down following his first three rides at Gundagai on Monday due to rib soreness.

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MITCH Beer has enjoyed more Highway success than any other Southern District trainer, but he used Sunrise Ruby's win last Saturday to point out just how difficult it is to achieve from places such as Albury.

Southern District horses have an improving record in the Highways but it took some time to achieve success.

Beer said the current COVID-19 restrictions only add to the task, with Sunrise Ruby leaving on Friday and not getting home to Albury until Monday night.

"To be honest, it was a massive effort to get to Sydney (on Saturday)," Beer said.

"We've had to go via Goulburn on Friday, waited there, went from Goulburn and was stuck in traffic with all the police stuff with the protest, literally stepped off the truck, got a saddle on and went straight out.

"I'm not just looking for a race to go back to Sydney in a fortnight."

The Ian Reid Sprint on Thursday, August 26 at Wagga is one option being considered by Beer, as he looks to potentially limit the trips to the city if he can, all while keeping the $1.3 million Kosciuszko in the back of his mind.

"I'm very nervous, to be honest, about carting her up to Sydney two or three times to try and prove a point to try and get into the Kosciuszko," he said.

"In the current climate, it was quite taxing (on Saturday). One run turned into a four-day journey, three different stables, three different trucks. It's easy to look at the win but it takes a bit out of them.

"For the trainers that are closer, they're back in the box three hours later. We're six hours away, it's hard enough to do without the restrictions. So I'm very, very mindful of that and I'm not going to put her to the sword and jeopardise that to go up there and try and prove a point."

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