Danny Williams' pain has been Joe Cleary's gain ahead of Saturday's $500,000 Country Championships Final (1400m) at Randwick.
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Queanbeyan's premier trainer Cleary will saddle up Rothenburg and Girls Are Ready as one of only two trainers with a multi-pronged attack in the lucrative race.
Rothernburg qualified thanks to his second place finish in the wildcard race at Muswellbrook last month, while Girls Are Ready was elevated into the field after Williams' classy four-year-old Leg Work was injured in a recent Canberra trial.
Cleary's pair finished third and fourth in the Goulburn qualifier on February 16 which looks the key form race for Saturday - it was won by Art Cadeau who is heavily favoured to take the major prize at Randwick, while Leg Work finished second.
The wet track will favour both Cleary gallopers.
"Take Art Cadeau out and it's pretty even," Cleary said.
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"I had a yarn to [jockey Hugh] Bowman, and said just try and find Tommy's [Tommy Berry's] back at some stage once we top the rise.
"They had their final gallop together on Wednesday morning in Queanbeyan. We need the wet track with Girls Are Ready but there's no denying that Rothenburg likes to stick his toe into the ground as well."
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
