Betfair’s King of the Bush heads to Kilmore this Sunday and Caulfield trainer Brendan McCarthy will stay on top of the leader board if his lightly-raced galloper Nice and Neat salutes in the third leg of the series.

McCarthy won the second heat of Betfair’s King of the Bush with Maccas Miss at Bairnsdale last Saturday and he’s quietly confident Nice and Neat can maintain the stable’s strike-rate this Sunday.

“Nice and Neat has got a fair bit of ability and he goes well first-up,” McCarthy said.  “He won two of his four starts last time in and, with any luck, would have been unbeaten.”

Nice And Neat (Brief Truce) opened that campaign with wins at Sale and Ballarat but then came a cropper at Yarra Glen and Cranbourne.

The race report out of the Yarra Glen race confirms McCarthy’s claims.  Stewards noted Nice And Neat was slowly away then struck interference near the home turn before being disappointed for a run in the straight.  He flew at the finish to get within a length of the winner Elzeeza.

Then at Cranbourne, he was forced via the cape on the corner while the winner Reverberates received a saloon passage along the rails.  

McCarthy will give Maccas Miss an opportunity to win the sixth leg of Betfair’s King of the Bush at Terang on October 24.

Maccas Miss (Regal Shot) is a McCarthy family favourite.  In all, there are 10 part-owners in the mare and they include Brendan’s brothers and his nephews.

“The Betfair concept is a beauty,” McCarthy said.  “I reckon three wins should be enough to finish on top.”

Trainer Daryl Cannon began Betfair’s King of the Bush series on a winning note when Cos In Court scored at Swan Hill on September 26.  

Cos In Court (Lawyer) has only been based at Cannon’s Colac stables for a couple of months after relocating from Sydney and is unbeaten in two starts at Geelong and Swan Hill.

Lady Rock (Rock Of Gibraltar) will be Cannon’s representative in the third leg at Kilmore and he gives her a good each-way chance despite resuming after a 56 weeks on the sidelines.

“She has shaped nicely in a couple of jump-outs leading into Sunday,” Cannon revealed.  “She won at Seymour on debut and was in the money at Caulfield and Sandown at the start of her other campaigns.

“I didn’t even know about Betfair’s King of the Bush series prior to last year,” Cannon added.  “But it’s a no-brainer to have a go.”

Heat 3 of Betfair’s King Of The Bush series will be run at Kilmore at 5.08pm on Sunday.

KING OF THE BUSH LEADER BOARD
10  Brendan McCarthy
10  Daryl Cannon
9   Ricky Maund
5   Leon Corstens
4   Heather Stuchbree

3   Leslie Robertson
3   Byron Cozamanis
2   Michael Hibbs
2   Heath Connors
1   Luke Oliver
1   Julie Scott