John McNair and Corey Brown combined to claim a heat of the Provincial Stayers Championship at Wyong on Wednesday but on Saturday they’ll be rivals in the Group One Newmarket Handicap.

Brown rode the McNair-trained Dal Rommel ($3.50 eq fav) to a 4-1/4-length victory in the Provincial Stayers Championship Wyong Handicap (2100m) at the Australian Turf Club meeting.

On Saturday McNair will saddle up favourite Hay List in the Group One Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington while Brown will be aboard one of Hay List’s main rivals in exciting Sydney sprinter Rain Affair.

Rain Affair drew the inside barrier for the Newmarket while Hay List, to be ridden by Glyn Schofield, has barrier 15.

Brown said the pace of Wednesday’s event helped Dal Rommel race clear of his rivals in the straight.

“The horse got all the breaks,” Brown told TVN.

“He had a great run up until the half-mile (800m) and from there he had a super run. They towed him into it and he was just too good for them.”

Turning his attention to the Newmarket, Brown said he would have preferred to have drawn a wider gate with Rain Affair for the gelding’s first start in Melbourne.

“I know it’s always good to draw one but I would have loved the rail to be on the Sydney side of him, on the off-side,” Brown said.

“It’s one of the cards you’ve got to play when you are dealt them, but he’s going super.”

Dal Rommel’s win brought up a Wyong double for Brown but Tommy Berry took riding honours at the meeting with a winning treble.