Chow's two-pronged attack in Country Mile

Peter Chow rarely races his horses against each other.

One reason is that, with a small team in work from his Warrnambool stable, his horses rarely need to clash.

Another is that on the rare occasion that they do, he's notoriously bad at predicting the outcome.

Take stable pin-ups Kent Street and Jazz Star.

The pair tackles Saturday's $250,000 Country Mile Final (1600m) at The Valley and while last-start winner Jazz Star ($15 with Sportsbet) is half the price of Kent Street ($35), Chow is loath to split them.

"The both ran in the Port Fairy Cup over the summer, they'd galloped together before the race and I said Jazz Star would beat Kent Street," Chow said.

"Kent Street absolutely brained her, so you're asking the wrong person.

"Realistically, they're up against it on Saturday, as the market suggests.

"Jazz Star probably won the weakest heat out of the lot of them and the other horse is deep into his preparation and he's never won over 1600m.

"But they're both drawn well to get their chance so that's what we're hanging our hat on."

Craig Newitt will take the reins on Kent Street, with Willie Pike booked to ride Jazz Star for the first time.

For Chow, having a two-pronged attack in such a lucrative race is a highlight for him and his owners.

Jazz Star qualified for the race with a dominant win in a heat of the series at Colac, while Kent Street was third in a stronger qualifier at Pakenham to also ensure a start in the final.

Only open to horses trained outside of metropolitan Melbourne, the series is being run for the first time this year and replicates the similar Country Carnival Series run during the spring.

The heats of this year's series also doubled as Racing Victoria's trial of new whip rules which limited jockeys to five strikes throughout the entirety of the race.

"With these big-money races that are restricted to country trainers, you have to target them with the right horse," Chow said.

"We had to take Kent Street to Pakenham on a Thursday night and didn't get hone until 2am in the morning but thankfully he ran third and he got into the final.

"The owner is rapt, he's from Tasmania and he's jumping on a plane and coming over to watch the race."