So far rising eight-year-old Kempsey gelding French Command, trained by Hilary Dew, and soon to be nine-year-old gelding Not Doubtful, trained at Tuncurry by Terry Evans, have prizemoney totalling $335,535.

Both gallopers have won recently, been not far off the placings since, and are in good heart to add to their imposing tallies.

Dew said of his gelding: “The way he is going he will rack up 150 starts before he is 10.”

Evans believes Not Doubtful is better at the moment than the gelding was two years ago—“He is like a two-year-old jumping around.

“He must have heard that he was close to retirement and wanted to show me he was not a spent force.”

French Command has had 107 starts for 11 wins and 26 placings and only cost $5000 after winning a maiden race before Dew bought him at Caloundra.

He is in the Taree Taxis CG&E Benchmark 55 Handicap over 1257m, a level of race that the trainer believes is suited for his charge whereas Not Doubtful is in a harder MJR Accountants Benchmark 60 Handicap over 1412m.

Dew was toying with the idea of starting his gelding at Kempsey on Friday but believed the race was short of its best.

“The distance at Taree should suit and he should like the track conditions,’’ Dew said.

“He was fourth to Elite Dubeo at Port Macquarie last start and the winner won again at Coffs Harbour.

“He doesn’t seem to like Port but he is still putting in.

“His last win was at Kempsey at his 99th start.”

One that wasn’t suited by the heavy track conditions at Taree when fifth to Hammoon Dream over 1250m was Port four-year-old gelding Drummed Out, trained by John Sprague.

It won its previous start over 1300m at Taree when the track was good rated and the predicted soft conditions and the class are more suitable this time.

“It was too heavy and he was up in class last start but still ran well (beaten 2.53 lengths),” he said.

“All my horse has to do is repeat its previous run to be competitive.”

Jockey Matthew Paget has been on Drummed Out in its past three runs and regains the mount.

Third behind Drummed Out when it won was Taree five-year-old gelding Blinkin Awesome, trained by Ross Stitt, and it since was a close second to Newcastle galloper Kool Vinnie at this track on June 15.

Blinkin Awesome won here over 1312m four starts back and all of its three wins have been at the track, two of them on wet surfaces.

Taree seven-year-old gelding Corey, trained by Matthew Robinson, is resuming from a spell but is capable of running a good race in soft going and has won twice first-up before.

Another in the mix is seven-year-old gelding Floral One, trained at Wauchope by Grant Prosser, it having won four races at the distance.

At its previous start, it resumed for a fifth, beaten just under two lengths, behind New Endeavour over 1100m at Armidale on May 30 and should be improved.

Not Doubtful gave the impression last start over 1250m at Taree that he was looking for more ground but this time he will need luck from his inside barrier and on the heavy track.

Evans said his gelding has won on soft ground and likes to wind up down the outside.

Last start jockey Scott Thurlow told him that the gelding could be looking for more ground as he had trouble pulling up after the winning post.

Doug Ryan's selections

Race 1: Superlight 1, Wiccan Rede 2, Atomic Meteor 3.

Race 2: Musical Query 1, Biscuit Time 2, Cathay Belle 3.

Race 3: Jawdaa 1, Oh No Not Again 2, Nyah 3.

Race 4: Bold Chance 1, General Artie 2, El Casco 3.

Race 5: Longchamp Lass 1, Rainbow River 2, Not Doubtful 3.

Race 6: Kailenny 1, Jovatico 2, Miss Zodiac 3.

Race 7: Mon Bel Ami 1, Stop The Fight 2, Magic Arli 3.

Race 8: French Command 1, Blinkin Awesome 2, Drummed Out 3.