Shaun McGruddy got exactly what he was hoping for when the Quokka barriers were drawn on Tuesday morning, securing gate five for Rope Them In, the Steve Wolfe-trained gelding set to represent Tabtouch in the $5 million sprint.

McGruddy believes the ideal draw gives his mount every opportunity to put himself into the race early and avoid being shuffled too far back.

“That was good,” McGruddy told Racing WA.

“I wanted anywhere from one to five, so five is great.

“Hopefully I’m no further back than midfield and it will just depend on if he can keep up or not.

“At least we won’t find ourselves all the way back from a wide gate.

“I can make him begin, have him as close as he can be without having to worry about getting anywhere near the fence.

“Because he doesn’t have a lot of gate speed, when you draw wide, you often find yourself closer to the rear than anywhere else.”

Rope Them In was below expectations in the Roma Cup (1100m) last start when he finished seventh after settling back from a wide gate, but McGruddy is confident he can bounce back over 1200m.

His strong first-up win in the Bluff Knoll (1099m) at Albany showed his ability when ridden closer, and last campaign he placed fourth in the Winterbottom Stakes (1200m), finishing less than a length from Overpass.

His Group 3 triumph in the Colonel Reeves Stakes (1100m) also adds weight to his claims as a contender, despite the strength of Saturday’s Quokka field.

“There were no underlying reasons for his run in the Roma Cup,” McGruddy said.

“The barrier draw will help because he’s not good enough to give them a head start and reel them in.

“The barrier makes all the difference and the 1200m suits him a bit better as well.

“He worked really well this morning (Tuesday) and Wolfey was happy with the barrier and happy with his work.”

Overpass, the defending champion, drew barrier 10 and is the $2.30 favourite. Rope Them In is currently listed at $19 in markets for the Quokka.