Amanda Turnbull's Bundoran chases Miracle Mile upset for trainer's first appearance in Group 1 classic

Turnbull will make her first appearance in the Group 1 classic as both a trainer and driver with Bundoran, who earned a place in the event thanks to his runner-up finish in last Saturday's Allied Express Sprint.

Turnbull follows in the footsteps of father Steve and grandfather Tony in qualifying a horse for Australia's premier sprint event, although it will be a big task this weekend for Amanda Turnbull to claim the top prize like they did.

Two-time defending champion and hot favourite King Of Swing has drawn the inside gate as he looks to become the first horse to win the event in three straight years.

But Turnbull isn't feeling the pressure ahead of one of the biggest races of her career.

"I'm just really excited. I'm enjoying taking it all in," she said.

"The family's also feeling the same and they're going to be coming down to watch so that'll be good.

"My guy's got a couple of days in the retention barn before this race but he doesn't mind being down here, so that's alright. He's good like that."

Bundoran has drawn gate four although his starting position was almost irrelevant for Turnbull.

Just as he did in the Allied Express Sprint, Bundoran is expected to sit towards the back of the field and conserve as much as possible for the sprint home.

That tactic worked out brilliantly last Saturday when Bundoran came within half a head of taking down King Of Swing after he produced a strong turn of foot from out wide on the track.

"He's really only got one racing pattern anyway so the draw didn't matter too much for him," Turnbull said.

"King Of Swing will definitely try and lead from there and I expect a couple of others to try and get on his back. It will be pretty hard."

Bundoran has been a dream come true for Turnbull ever since his arrival from New Zealand in January last year.

After starting out as a consistent Menangle Saturday winner, then a Group 3 victor in winter, Bundoran stepped up to earn a place in the Inter Dominion Final.

He finished ninth there and backed that up with a runner-up finish in the Shirley Turnbull Memorial.

The son of Lincoln Royal is currently rated a $34 shot to take the prize among the eight-horse field, but with the way he finished off last weekend's event he can't be discounted.

King Of Swing earned great praise for the way he gutsed out last Saturday's win. He spent the entirety of the race battling the breeze in the death seat and still pulled out a flashy 1:47.7 mile rate.

That efforts sees the 'King' rated a $1.60 favourite for the million dollar spectacle.

Jason Grimson's Spirit Of St Louis is rated as the biggest threat to King Of Swing's bid for a treble, and is a $3.30 shot to upset the party. He starts right alongside the favourite in gate two.

Aaron Dunn's in-form star Bondi Lockdown ($9) rates the next-best chance in the market.

Georges Plains trainer Bernie Hewitt features in one of the night's supporting events, the Group 2 Sapling Stakes, with his first start winner Sargeant.

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