Could Tiger’s Story change that for the Bathurst trainer on Tuesday?

Theobald has narrowly missed out on the top prize in recent years with All Sixes (second in 2014 and third in 2015) and Bathurstian (fourth in 2016). 

Six-year-old Tiger’s Story is no stranger to the Tyers Park ANZAC Day feature race, having raced it back in 2015 (sixth), but like that occasion the gelding will be up against higher-rated competition.

Tiger’s Story will start widest of the eight runners but that’s of little concern to Theobald.

“His work's been really good of late and he’s ready to run 1,400m. The race has really got to run to suit him,” he said.

“It all comes down to tactics in the run and he needs the speed to be on early, and he comes from behind. If they go too slow early then it won’t suit him.

“A lot his races haven’t been run to suit him and he’s had a nagging muscle problem, which has interrupted his preparation.

“He’s won at 1,400m here, and that was a good day here last year. I’m hoping he can pull it off again.”

Dean Mirfin’s Super Pig is the other Bathurst-trained contender.

Theobald said Mirfin’s runner could provide that necessary early pace.

“I think Super Pig will go forward and set the pace. If that’s the case then he has a chance of coming from behind,” he said.

“I haven’t won this race yet but I’ll keep trying. It’s a Class 4 race now, which brings it back to our calibre of horse.”

The remaining six runners in the Soldier’s Saddle field represent a mix of Central West and provincial trainers.

Smokey’s Joy was handed the top weight but the Scott Singleton-trained runner will use apprentice jockey Jean Van Overmeire’s claim to shed that tag. The lightly-raced gelding boasts a perfect heavy track record but hasn’t found a win over this distance yet. 

Parkes trainer George Wright sends Emerald Fortune around Tyers Park. The 58.5kg shouldn’t faze the six-year-old, who has shouldered heavier loads in his picnic racing days.

Kathryn Cahill’s (Cowra) Campfire will hope to burn the competition away after coming within a whisker of winning his last start.

Smart Attire (Karen McCarroll, Wellington) has proven his ability to win over a range of distances and Heavenly Mum (Wayne Attard, Hawkesbury) looked encouraging with a first-up third in her latest start.

Rounding out the field will be Elle A Walking, for Warwick Farm’s Graham Brown. The gelding has previously won at Bathurst – the only runner outside of the two home-city contenders to have done so.

Theobald has two other chances in action at the Bathurst meeting.

Dunderry won for Theobald on ANZAC Day last year and on Tuesday he’s aiming to repeat that result. Dunderry will contest the meeting’s top-class race, the ANZAC Day Sprint (1,200m).

Pretty Snazzy searches for career win number two in the Class 1 Handicap (1,200m).

Gates open at Tyers Park from 11am with the opening race of the meeting at 12.56pm.