Canberra trainer Keith Dryden has been in the industry for so long he can't remember if he has won a Queanbeyan Cup.
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But he could have one to remember in just under two weeks after Midnight Obsession won the Queanbeyan Cup Prelude.
Midnight Obsession's fourth victory on the trot qualified the four-year-old mare for the Queanbeyan Cup on October 23.
While a cup run serves as just "another race" for Dryden, it will be a bit more special for co-trainer Scott Collings.
Midnight Obsession entered the stable under the watchful eye of Goulburn trainer Collings, who has built a partnership with Dryden at Thoroughbred Park.
"It'll be a big thrill [for the partnership] to win a cup race somewhere," Dryden said.
"For her to come out and win five in a row would be a great effort. A cup under the belt, well it's another one on the shelf so it keeps the business rolling along."
Dryden said with under two weeks until the cup they would have to wait and see how the mare pulled up after the Prelude, but he can't find a reason why they wouldn't go.
The only other options for Midnight Obsession would be a midweek race at Warwick Farm or elsewhere in Sydney, not that racing on the Queanbeyan track is an issue.
"I don't know if there is anything available, but we'll consider the options and talk to the owners about it," Dryden said.
"The track is in great nick over there [at Queanbeyan]. It seems to race well, plenty of grass cover and not too soft.
"It hasn't had a lot of racing, we've had a lot of rain but it hasn't had any racing on it much for the last three or four months. I think the track was in terrific condition."
Dryden described his role in the partnership as more of a guiding hand as Collings takes control of the ship. But it was Dryden's tactics that worked a treat on Tuesday afternoon.
"For a horse just to win four in a row takes a bit of doing so I think the owners are extremely pleased with the result," Dryden said.
"It was a good run, we put plenty of pressure on the other horses from a long way out.
"Scotty said 'what do you reckon?' I said 'let's put some pressure on them'.
"This was a genuine stayer so we made sure that [jockey Jeff Penza] went from 900 and just put the pressure on them."
