Gwenda Markwell.
RACING
Gwenda Markwell quietly slipped out of her Kembla Grange stables in the dead of night on Tuesday, riding shotgun with her two stable stars on their way to Melbourne.
In customary Markwell style, the job wasn't shafted off to anyone else. From trackwork to travelling, Markwell is always leading the charge.
Which is why she sat with Rolling Pin and Peal Of Bells for every centimetre of the 800-kilometre journey.
"I had a front seat in the truck and it was very comfortable," Markwell joked.
For the first time in her training career, the Queen of Kembla will have two runners on the most sought-after program in Australian racing.
Markwell has only ever had a sole representative on Derby Day.
Queanbeyan Cup winner Peal Of Bells will try to force his way into Tuesday's $6 million Melbourne Cup via the Lexus Stakes (2500m) at Flemington while perhaps the horse which typifies Markwell's ability to coax the most out of head-strong gallopers, Rolling Pin, lines up in the Group 2 Yellowglen Stakes (1200m).
Of Peal Of Bells, Markwell said: "He's settled in really well and the 2500 [metres] should suit him. I think he might like Flemington as with this track he can get back and run home."
In-form jockey Corey Brown will be reunited with Rolling Pin after steering the Pins gelding to his biggest win to date in the Shannon Stakes at Rosehill in late-September.
The Melbourne Cup-winning rider acknowledged Rolling Pin would be fully tested against the likes of Howmuchdoyouloveme and Pampelonne coming back to 1200 metres from the mile, but had the ability to stretch the more fancied runners.
"Gwenda Markwell said she wouldn't bring him unless he was in good enough form," he said.
"He can be very difficult [to ride]. You pull him left and he wants to go right, you pull him right and he wants to go left. He's getting better and that's shown in the form that he's in.
"If he brings his A-game he's definitely going to be very competitive."