In-form Wagga trainer Tim Donnelly is not letting a wide barrier draw concern him too much ahead of Saturday's $130,000 Country Classic (2000m) at Rosehill.
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Donnelly will be represented by last-start Highway Handicap winner Kitzbuhel in the feature for country-trained stayers.
Kitzbuhel was an impressive all-the-way winner of a Highway last start but has been thrown a task if he is to repeat the success by drawing barrier 21.
With a maximum of 18 horses to run, Kitzbuhel will come in a few after scratchings and Donnelly is not letting the draw get him down.
"Not good, but a lot of horses drew poorly in that race," Donnelly said.
"I said I don't mind if he draws out wide but I didn't want that wide.
"It's something that I can't control so I actually don't worry about them."
Kitzbuhel has won three of his six starts for Donnelly since arriving in Australia.
Donnelly has an air of confidence about the horse as he looks to record back-to-back city wins.
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"I'm really happy with him. He'll be better at the 2000, he'll be better now that he's had the two runs so I'm really happy with him. He looks better in the coat too," Donnelly said.
"He'll run the 2000. There's a bit of a question mark on a lot of them in the race at the 2000 but I know he'll run it."
Kitzbuhel is owned by Richard Pegum and will again be ridden by Tim Clark.
After leading when scoring at his last start, Donnelly expects Kitzbuhel will again be in a forward position.
"He'll go forward. Zakeriz is in the race so I'd expect it would lead," he said.
Donnelly is enjoying a great run of success. Four of his last 10 starters have been winners and he's enjoyed 11 wins from his last 50.
Participator was the most impressive of those when winning first-up at Wagga last Friday. It maintained his unbeaten record after winning at the Wagga Gold Cup carnival on debut.
Donnelly has a Highway later this month picked out for Participator, who will then be spelled with the Country Championships in mind.
"They don't often win like that very often," Donnelly said of Participator's latest victory.
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