HORSE RACING: Wayne Baker is feeling pretty confident with how his horse Gendebien will race at Charleville's Battle of the Bush series this weekend.

After winning the 1000m Memorial Open at the Roma XXXX Gold Races last November, Baker knows Gendebien has a good chance to perform well.

"Gendebein is a really strong short distance racer and he'll be raring to go at the gates,” Baker said.

The 59-year-old Roma local has been riding and training horses since he was a kid growing up on his family farm and is keen to give it a good crack against some fierce competition in his first Battle of the Bush race.

"I was a jockey myself in the 70s and 80s so I know what it takes for a horse to win,” he said.

The stakes will be even higher at the Battle of Bush Newmarket Qualifier this Saturday at Central Warrego Race Club, with even more incentives for country participants to get involved and for punters nationwide to get behind the series.

Qualifiers will then have the chance to compete in a thrilling finale at the home of Queensland racing on Group 1 Sky Racing Tattersall's Tiara Day, rubbing shoulders with some of Australian racing's biggest names during the TAB Queensland Winter Racing Carnival.

"There's a lot riding on this race, as its pretty rare that racers in rural towns get the chance to compete in such a massive event, with so much prize money on offer,” Baker said.

He believes this year has provided more opportunities for country racing participants to go further in the sport and experience the thrill of racing for high stakes.

"Its a real game changer,” he said.

16 qualifiers are being held across the eight Racing Queensland regions, culminating in a final on Group 1 Sky Racing Tattersall's Tiara Day, where finalists will race for $125,000 at the historic Eagle Farm Racecourse on Saturday, June 22.

Charleville Racecourse will host a Battle of the Bush Night of Racing on Thursday night, where competitors and racing fans can gather to meet some massive names in the racing industry.

Special guests include Clare Lindop, who is the most accomplished female jockey of all time, and was the first Australian female jockey to ride in the Melbourne Cup.

She also was the first female jockey to win the AAMI Derby.

Queensland Racing Battle of the Bush Ambassador and champion trainer, Peter Moody, will also attend.

Baker is looking forward to a tough contest on the racecourse and hopes Gendebien can go all the way on Saturday.

"I know Gendebien has what it takes, its just a matter of things going our way,” he said.