BY ALEXANDER GRANT - Daily Liberal 7 February 2023

WATCH Me Rumble, indeed.

The Clint Lundholm-trained mare lived up to her name when she powered home down the inside to take out Monday afternoon's Country Championships Preview Class 4 Handicap (1,400 metres) at Tyers Park.

Watch Me Rumble ($6.50, Jake Pracey-Holmes) didn't settle well in the early stages but looked focused when called upon to produce an excellent sprint home across the final 200m.

Amicus Curiae ($4.40, Mitch Bell) and De Forerunner ($3.10 favourite, Robbie Dolan) filled the minors.

It was the second successive victory for the daughter of Stratum Star and came after an 11-week let up.

It's an encouraging result for Dubbo trainer Lundholm ahead of the Western Country Championships heat on March 12.

Winning jockey Jake Pracey-Holmes said the mare still has more to offer than what she showed in her victory.

"She's a horse that's a bit funny with her mouth, and he did say to me to have soft hands. They're going to replace me because I've got bad hands," he said.

"The pace was good, which means she didn't throw her head as much. It was a great win and she had more there too. She just did what she had to do today, so there's still room for improvement.

"It's my first time with her on raceday but I have done trackwork with her. We were always going to have to get back with her today because she's not the kind of horse that you can fire up."

The speed was on from the outset in Monday's race.

Lockdown Gamble and Arimathea got out quickly before Down To Earth pushed forward to post the former out three wide with no cover.

A length back Amicus Curiae raced on the inside of De Forerunner with Watch Me Rumble - throwing her head around - a further two lengths off that group.

Possibly So missed the start and still found itself two and a half lengths away from Watch Me Rumble with 600m to run.

On the turn home De Forerunner peeled out four wide to challenge the leading line of three horses, who were all already being worked hard.

Arimathea battled on the best out of that initial leading trio but also began to fade at the start of the final furlong.

Amicus Curiae went into the lead but only held it for a matter of strides as Watch Me Rumble surged home along the rail.

Watch Me Rumble won by a half length over Amicus Curiae, with De Forerunner coming home a further length and a half behind.

The victory with Watch Me Rumble was the second of the day for the Lundholm and Pracey-Holmes combination.

They earlier claimed victory in the CG&E Class 1 Handicap (1,100m) with Raging Rush ($5.50) who won first up after a 34 week break from racing.

His latest start prior to Monday's win was a seventh placing's in Dubbo's Silver Goblet back in June.

Lundholm's other Country Championships hopefuls also ran over the last few days with Amulet Street and Hit The Rim running at Royal Randwick last weekend.

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