It’s not like a $100 shot has never won a race before!

IT WILL all but take a miracle for Wayne Dimech to make his way into the winners’ circle at Club Menangle tonight, but regardless of the result, the evening will be filled with sentiment.

Dimech is heading to the world class venue to tackle a New South Wales Breeders’ Chaellenge True Blue Final with Merrywood Paul.

Among the outsiders at $61 with TAB Fixed Odds, the two-year-old is named after Dimech’s late father, Paul.

Though he dreams of a fairy tale result Dimech is thrilled to contest a Group One with the gelding.

“I’ve been breeding for about 30 years and using the name Merrywood with nearly every horse I’ve bred,” Dimech said.

“I’m from Merrylands and my wife Sue from Villawood, so it is a combination of those towns.

“My wife said ‘don’t name them after relatives’, but then a bloke said I should name one after my Dad, so I did.

“Dad was passionate about harness racing and was a volunteer at Fairfield for about 20 years.

“I don’t think we’ve got much hope tonight, but it’s not like a $100 shot has never won a race before!”

To be driven by Will Rixon, Merrywood Paul faces a near impossible task from barrier 10.

“He’s drawn too wide but he will be out there trying his best,” Dimech said. “If he’d drawn better I reckon he could run close to the placings.”

Following his father and maternal grandfather Peter Borg into the industry, Dimech began his interest as an owner before a failed attempt to sell a mare sparked the move into breeding.

“I bought a mare named Wise Tina from Ian Wilson which I raced,” Dimech said. “Upon retiring her I advertised her for sale and never got a call, so I decided to breed from her.

“Her second foal was Merrywood Prince, which Dad owned with me, and he won more than $300,000.

“I bred a few others from her and now I’m still breeding from her line…she became a very good foundation mare.

“Merrywood Paul is from a different bloodline, but Wise Tina is the one which got it all started.”