Bathurst trainers Dean Mirfin and Peter Stanley have had some big moments over the last 12 months with representatives of their stables, but since the announcement of The Country Championships heat being held at Tyers Park, it has been their major motivation.

The pair have specifically targeted the $100,000 heat of the series which will be hosted by Bathurst Thoroughbred Racing tomorrow – Mirfin with Oywotzy, and Stanley with King Derota.

King Derota has a brilliant formline that includes four wins, a second and a third in his last six runs, while Oywotzy has a win and four minors in his last seven appearances.

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Stanley also has Hollywood Nell set for the race, who the trainer describes as a “sneaky lightweight chance”.

“As soon as this race was announced I thought ‘geez, a Class 5 race, I might have something for this’ and when King Derota won a maiden straight after that, I started to put him in basic training towards it,” Stanley said.

“His last win was a Prelude for the heat so that assured him a start. You need a fit horse to run against this calibre of opposition and I’ve been trying to give him a run every fortnight. He’s extremely fit at the moment.

“All he needs is a decent barrier and a good run and he will be right there at the end. I’m not saying he’s a champion or anything, but I’m lucky to have a good horse like him. I also think Hollywood Nell is a knock-out chance too at her weight.”

Mirfin also had long-range plans for Oywotzy, but they could have been foiled, somewhat ironically, if she had have won at her last start in Dubbo recently.

Already with five wins under her belt, another would have made her ineligible for the Championships.

Instead he finished a close second to the Gayna Williams-trained Landuncan and in doing so completed the perfect lead-up to the biggest race of his career.

“It turned out pretty lucky for us. I went over to Dubbo with the attitude that if he’d won, well that’s great, and if he doesn’t, well we will still line him up for the Championships. He needed a good hard hit-out for that anyway,” Mirfin said.

“It was an open handicap so he’s actually coming back in grade for this race, which is a big plus. He certainly has a chance.

“I think King Derota is the obvious one that’s going really well, but there are some good chances all through this race. No one should be under any illusions as to how hard it is going to be.

“Oywotzy has won more prize money than any of the others so his quality is right up there. King Derota, Vortuka, Binalong Road ... He’s probably the one to beat I think. It is definitely winnable.”

Both horses have been major contributors to their trainers’ coffers, with Mirfin one of four owners who paid just $3,200 for Oywotzy – he’s since won $70,000 – while Stanley aced it when he picked up King Derota for $400.

It is that sort of story that makes racing the sport that it is; King Derota has since won more than $60,000 and enhanced Stanley’s credentials immeasurably.

“I didn’t really know what we were going to get out of him when he came to us, he was just another head in the shed,” the trainer said.

“If they can gallop they will show it to you at some point. You don’t just pop into a good horse though, it takes a lot of luck.

“He is such a tough little bugger, he just has a real will to win when he gets close to the post and he’s shown that in all his races recently.

“If he doesn’t win on Sunday, I just hope it is Hollywood Nell that beats him!”