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It’s not lost on trainer Brett Robb that most expect his promising galloper Gallant Star to stamp himself as one of the horses to beat in next month’s Newhaven Park Country Championships Final when he steps up to qualify at Coonamble on Sunday.

On face value you'd think, given Brett Robb is the first trainer from the Western District to have won the Final thanks to Sizzle Minizzle's upset win a year ago, he'd be used to the pressure of a big race but he went to Randwick with no buzz around him.

Gallant Star has long been one of the favourites to win the $1 million race on April 6 and that's something the Dubbo trainer is wary of.

"I think there's more pressure, going into Randwick last year we were $71 but I have a horse I think honestly could go right on with it,'' Robb said.

"If he wins at Coonamble he'd be in it up to his eyeballs in Sydney.

"To go on to win the final down there you've got to be better than the country horse and I think he's better than a lot of them. Bandi's Boy is going to be the one to beat, but they've got very similar form."

The four-year-old, $1.80 with TAB on Saturday for the $150,000 Newhaven Park WRA Country Championships (1400m), has had an ideal build up for the race with Robb spacing his runs since he announced himself with a Highway win at the end of last year.

He was placed in a benchmark 72 at Rosehill at his next start and one month ago he carried 60.5kg to a closing fourth over 1250m at Canterbury.

"He's fit, he's well, I think I've got him spot on. He hasn't been over the 1400m yet but he's definitely screaming out for it,'' he said.

"If you go well you've still got to have a bit in the tank to go down to Sydney.

"I thought if we give him a good hard run at Canterbury and then give him the month between runs it should freshen him up and be fit for it."

Sam Clipperton, who won the Final for Robb last year on Sizzle Minizzle, has been on board Gallant Star every step of the way this preparation and has thought since he first rode the gelding 14 months ago he was an ideal Country Championships prospect.

Robb said it's a plus to have Clipperton at Coonamble and when the draw came out it was a boost to his confidence.

"If you draw wide at Coonamble it can bring you undone, I know it's a big open track but there's not a lot of camber there,'' he said.

"I was very happy with five, hopefully he can park in behind the speed and do a bit of campdrafting up the straight and get over the top of them."

It's fair to say Sizzle Minizzle is not quite the same horse that was able to run second in the Coonamble race last year and win at Randwick but Robb hopes he can bounce back.

He wasn't a factor when chasing Whinchat at Randwick a month ago, beating one home, but Robb said his chances would soar if the expected speed materialises and he can get into a rhythm.

"He's been a little disappointing but we've had a lot of feet trouble with him,'' he said.

"Between the farrier and the vet they've worked pretty hard to get him right, and we've got him as good as we're going to get him for 1400m."

If the gelding doesn't qualify to defend his title then Robb will look to stretch him out in distance and target the Wellington Cup next month in an effort to gain eligibility for the $3 million Big Dance.

"He's a mature horse now, they're going to be too quick for him over seven furlongs unless we run into a bog track,'' he said.

"We will need a bit of luck, he's a miler and will have to try and make a long sustained run.

"There'll be plenty of speed on and that's what Sizzle needs, if there's a mad speed battle they'll know he's there."

Stablemates Nannu and Rubi Air will face their biggest tests in the Country Championships race and Robb said the former worked impressively during the week and would love a strong tempo while the latter will need luck as she's a go-forward horse drawn wide.