Bathurst trainer Matt Rue hopes to end his 'unfinished business' with Gold Crown Carnival

No, it's not because it gives him more time to bust out his dance moves for the Bathurst Harness Racing's TikTok.

It's because even though the Bathurst trainer won't be able to climb in the gig, he's got talented runners in his stable he feels can qualify for a Group 1 final.

That sort of hope, as well as the use of other skilled drivers, has Rue eager to see his team in action.

"Years ago it really would've worried me not being able to drive, but not so much these days. Whoever will be driving them will be doing a good job," Rue, who was injured when hitting his wrist on the gig, said.

"Like when you look at it the drivers who are there, Cameron Hart and Doug Hewitt and Ryan Sanderson is in really good form in Victoria, you know all you can is entrust those guys. They are good drivers and they're not going to do anything different I can do."

Rue knows what it is like to win one of the carnival's major trophies - he won the 2016 edition of the Gold Chalice for three-year-old colts and geldings aboard stable favourite Fouroeight.

But he'd still dearly love to claim one of the Group 1 prizes on offer in the two-year-old Gold Crown or Gold Tiara series.

"One hundred percent I look forward to it. Obviously Fouroeight won the chalice and I've been able to run second in the crown twice as driver, one of them was an agonisingly close finish, so yeah definitely unfinished business," he said.

"I've got no doubt a lot of the money will stay local this year, I hope some of it goes to my stable obviously."

READ MORE: Numbers and prize money are up for the Gold Crown Carnival

READ MORE: Bathurst's Gold Crown Carnival will culminate a night earlier

READ MORE: Michael Formosa is named 2022 Bathurst Gold Crown Honouree

Rue's bid for a golden trophy begins on Wednesday with the heats of the Gold Tiara series for two-year-old fillies.

He will have four runners in action - Tinsel Tiara, Amazing Stride and last start winners Champagne Stride and Miss Exclusive.

Amazing Stride and Champagne Stride are owned by Emilio and Mary Rosati - leviathans of the industry who have supported the carnival since its inception.

They will both be having their first start for Rue in the 1,730 metres heats and the Bathurst trainer rates them a chance of qualifying for the $110,000 decider on March 25.

"All the credit for them has got to go to Beau Tindale in Melbourne, he's sent them up in great order," Rue said.

"I don't know a lot about them, but they've travelled up well and eaten well and they've looked good in their work.

"So they are a bit of an unknown, but they're well bred stock and seem to have a bit of gate speed about them, so if they can put themselves in the picture early, they'll run good races."

Miss Exclusive, who will go from barrier nine in the fifth and final heat, is another good prospect for Rue.

She placed second in the Group 2 Pink Bonnet at Menangle last month and has two wins from her five starts.

"She was a home bred by the owners and she's always gone nice," Rue said of the Roll With Joe x Our Guggenheim filly.

"She's always gives her best, in front she gets a little bit lost and can star gaze sometimes, but she's not going to be in front this week.

"Going into her heat relatively confident she can run a big race. She's got a bit of ability and she goes out and gives herself every opportunity, so with any kind of luck on Wednesday she's definitely a winning chance again and can sneak into the final."

Wednesday's meeting starts at 6.33pm with the first of five Gold Tiara heats to jump at 8.03pm.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: