The Soldier's Saddle received a big prizemoney boost this year to $80,000 and with that increase has come one of the best fields you could see assembled for a Class 4 country event.

Among the group are Wanda Ings' Speed Camera, Dean Mirfin's Press Box and Gayna Williams' Kookabaa, all hoping the keep the trophy in Bathurst hands.

It will be an exciting day for Ings who takes her first crack at the Soldier's Saddle since moving her training operation from Hawkesbury to Bathurst.

"We're delighted. We've pulled ourselves out of the big equation and it's satisfying to see the horses be competitive and settle in well. There's a great atmosphere up here and everyone's on the same wavelength," Ings said.

"The prizemoney has pulled a lot of horses out of the woodwork and I think it's absolutely super for the club to have a prestigious race bringing in really good horses. We're doing it tough but the clubs are doing it tougher.

"A lot of people I've spoken to have said this is the best Soldier's Saddle field they've seen."

Speed Camera has never been right out of the mix across her current preparation.

The Smart Missile mare battled strongly for sixth in Mudgee's CDRA Country Championships heat before sprinting home for fourth at Warwick Farm.

Ings said those numbers don't tell the full story.

"We thought she was a little unlucky in the Country Championships heat. She was boxed in and things didn't go her way." she said.

"She then ran fourth at Warwick Farm on a track that was a little too wet for her. She was following the winner through and [jockey] Jason Collett said she was travelling better than that horse in front.

"But once she was let off the bridle to quicken she had the skids and didn't seem to get through the wet."

Preparation for the Soldier's Saddle has been a roller coaster of emotions for Ings.

On two successive occasions Speed Camera was denied a race, due to cancelled meetings at Rosehill and Mudgee, and when she finally got a run at Kensington it wasn't the most memorable of days.

But just having a chance to gallop at all prior to Bathurst's big race was enough for make Ings happy.

"That track at Randwick probably wasn't her cup of tea but she needed the run. It was five weeks between runs. She's a big mare so we thought win or lose she had to go around there.

"Jason said she was just fresh and raced too hard and couldn't find cover to move into."

The "devil's draw" from barrier 17 isn't the best of news for most trainers to receive but Speed Camera's preferred racing pattern as a backmarker won't have Ings too concerned.

Ings' Catcha Crown has been named as the race's second emergency, potentially giving Bathurst a fourth runner in the feature.

The 2020 Bathurst RSL Club Soldier's Saddle race is due to start at 3.56pm.