Gentle Annie hits the Highway at Randwick

Mick Miladinovic trainer of Gentle Annie.

Mick Miladinovic admits Gentle Annie has been fast-tracked into Highway Handicap racing amid uncertainty over the future eligibility of Canberra-trained horses.

As Racing NSW considered changing Canberra’s status from country to provincial in a move that would bar horses in the area from contesting the $60,000 races, Miladinovic thought time might be running out for Gentle Annie to make a Highway appearance.

The move to classify Canberra trainers with a provincial licence was expected to come into force on August 1.

But a meeting between Racing NSW and the Canberra Racing Club on Wednesday resolved to defer any decision for three months.

Though the delay was a positive, Miladinovic still thought the designation switch was unnecessary.

“We’re country trainers on our licence, 90 per cent of our horses are bred by country stallions, but they reckon our horses are too good for them,” he said.

“If we get kicked out of a Highway you might as well kick Gai Waterhouse and Chris Waller and all them out of coming to the Wagga Cup and Canberra Cup. It’s a similar situation,” he said.

Canberra trainers have been successful since the concept was introduced, with Matt Dale claiming nine Highways, one less than Murwillumbah’s Matthew Dunn.

Gentle Annie has won her past two starts on Canberra’s synthetic track and Miladinovic insists the three-year-old filly can bring that form to Sydney.

“She’s shown enough to suggest she could be competitive in this sort of race, the horse deserves a chance at it,” he said.

Credit: AAP

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