May 2023 | Wyong Race Club & Function Centre

HAYSIRI READY FOR NEXT STEP

May 30, 2023 by Fran

An impressive debut win by Haysiri has given Scone based trainer Lou Mary the confidence to step the three-year-old up to Provincial grade at Wyong on Thursday.

The Dawn Approach gelding had his first start in a 1300m Maiden on May 12, Scone Cup Day, bringing up an eye-catching win after storming home over the final 200m.

He steps up to the 1350m CG&E BM 64 at Wyong, but Mary is confident he can handle the task.

“He pulled up very well from the Scone win. It was a beautiful first up run and always good to win on the home track.

“He is still a bit immature and raw, and I don’t even think he knew what happened when he won,” Mary laughed.

“I’m very mindful that it was only a country maiden, but it was the way he won that we were taken by. Wyong is a very different track, but he has a good cruising speed, showed a good turn of foot at Scone and has done everything right since.

“You have to bring you’re A game to these Provincial meetings and I think he’s the horse to do it.”

French-born Mary, who has only been licensed for two and a half years, trains Haysiri for local breeder Greg White, the two having formed a connection after Mary purchased Nitride from White in an online auction.

The now seven-year-old went on to become one of the best horses in Mary’s stable and he was grateful when White approached him to train the well-bred Haysiri.

“He had one preparation for me as a two-year-old but just wasn’t there mentally, so we turned him out. He developed foot abscess problems in the paddock so needed a decent amount of time to get over that. I was very happy when Greg rang and asked if I’d take him back.

“I’ve always had a good opinion of him and think he will be even better next preparation and could even get out to the mile.”

Chad Schofield, who partnered Haysiri to victory at Scone, will ride him again at Wyong. The form from the Scone maiden has been strong, with two subsequent winners and a number of placings from the beaten brigade.

Haysiri will have to contend with Kristen Buchanan’s last start Wyong winner Oakfield Waratah who lines up in the field of 10 and Mark Minervini’s Media Man chasing it’s third successive win.

The first of eight races gets underway at 12.10pm.

SELECTIONS:

Race 1 – 12.10pm: THE IRIS FOUNDATION – WRC CHARITY PARTNER MAIDEN (1000m): 1 SATIN AND SILK, 2 Mafia, 3 World Alliance, 4 Orlabent.

Race 2 – 12.45pm: TICKETS ON SALE – WYONG’S NEXT COCKTAIL PARTY – SATURDAY JULY 15 4YO&UP MAIDEN (1350m): NOTABADONE, 2 Sir SMity, 3 Skyhawk, 4 Oakfield Opal.

Race 3 – 1.20pm: THE WYONG ROOS FOUNDATION – WRC CHARITY PARTNER MAIDEN (1600m): 1 DISHIN ‘N’ DANCIN, 2 Royal Promise, 3 Beach Party, 4 She Sends Kisses.

Race 4 – 1.55pm: NORTHLAKES TOUKLEY ROTARY – WRC CHARITY PARTNER CLASS 1 & MAIDEN (2100m): 1CALIFORNIA GRASS, 2 Four O’Clock Knock, 3 Viadelamore, 4 Perfection Man.

Race 5 – 2.35pm: WRC IS A PROUD SUPPORTER OF POLICE LEGACY F&M BM64 (1350m): 1 LEANDRA, 2 Golden Gate, 3 Star Impact, 4 Beirut Miss.

Race 6 – 3.10pm: WRC PROUDLY SUPPORTING THE PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION PROVINCIAL MAIDEN (1100m): 1 MISTY DREAMS, 2 Highway Patrol, 3 Orlabent, 4 Emphatic Bell.

Race 7 – 3.50pm: WYONG CUP CARNIVAL – SUNDAY AUGUST 27 & FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 1 CG&E BM64 (1350m): 1 HAYSIRI, 2 Oakfield Waratah, 3 Trust The Process, 4 Windshadow.

Race 8 – 4.25pm: CLUBS NSW CENTRAL COAST MEN’S HEALTH CHARITY RACE DAY – THURSDAY JUNE 15 MIDWAY BM68 (1100m): 1 TOCOMAH, 2 Eyewitness, 3 Fire And Ice, 4 Mr Bingo.

girls day out at Wyong

May 11, 2023 by Fran

THE “girls” had it all to themselves!

Four Wyong trainers – all of them women – had a blowout at their Wyong Roos Foundation race day at home, winning five of the eight races.

And Kim Waugh, who prepared two of them, forecast a big future for one of her winners, the two-year-old debutant Super News.

At $15, the Your Song youngster (pictured) was super indeed, landing the Coca Cola Europacific Partners and Hospitality Supplies Express 2YO Maiden Plate (1100m).

Despite never seeing the inside rail, Super News stormed to the line to overpower another first starter, the $4.20 favorite Absolute Power.

“I tossed up whether to run him because he drew the carpark,” Waugh said.

“I’ve got a very big opinion of him, but he’s so green and mentally immature.

“I think he is going to be a very good horse.

“He was four deep the whole way, and it was such a good effort.

“Once he got balanced, that’s when he put his foot down and said: ‘See you’.”

Jay Ford rode Super News and also Waugh’s earlier winner Always In ($3.70), who was a shade too strong for runner-up Jo Jo Sun ($6) in the opening event, the Accolade Wines Provincial 3YO Maiden Handicap (1300m).

A three-year-old by Olympic Glory, she was having only her third start, and first since December.

“She is a lovely filly, who was chasing all the way at her first preparation,” Waugh said.

“Now she is learning how to race,” Waugh said.

“I thought she was a bit too far back, so she did a good job.”’

Waugh also was pleased with stablemate Doraskaya, who like Always In, got out of her ground and finished solidly along the inside to just miss third placing.

Along with the Waugh double, fellow Wyong trainers Nikki Hodgson, Kristen Buchanan and Sara Ryan also were successful.

Hodgson scored with Skybeam ($31), Buchanan with Oakfield Waratah ($14), and Ryan with heavily-backed odds-on favorite Chief Conductor ($1.85).

Skybeam, a four-year-old son of Reliable Man, began his career in Victoria and then had three unplaced starts in country NSW before joining Hodgson’s stable.

He ran third first-up over 1350m on his home track a fortnight ago, and stayed at that distance in the Austbrokers and Bishop Collins Maiden Plate on the recommendation of his rider Grant Buckley.

“He still does a bit wrong, so rather than step him up in distance, we decided to keep him at 1350m and he relaxed lovely today,” Hodgson said.

Hodgson could not have wished for a better start to her training career. She has had only 10 starters and won four races; the first being Boho Chick at Port Macquarie on New Year’s Day.

Favorite Little Cointreau ($2.20) was momentarily held up on straightening before getting his chance, but Skybeam surged near the post when he saw the other horse on his inside.

Buchanan produced Oakfield Waratah to post his second win when first-up in the Arcade Trader & Central Coast Kids In Need Benchmark 64 Handicap (1350m), upsetting $2.35 favorite Rocstar Boy.

The lightly-raced Dissident four-year-old, raced by long-time client Bruce Mackenzie, shared the lead with fellow Wyong representative Budhwar, then gained a break in the straight and held out the favorite.

Oakfield Waratah at his fourth start had won his maiden back in November, also at the same track and over the same distance.

Winning rider Koby Jennings said it was good to see the gelding’s progression, and that he still wasn’t sure how to use his legs properly to gallop.

Sara Ryan has done a terrific job with the beautifully-bred Chief Conductor (I Am Invincible from the eight times winner Snitzerland, who took the 2014 Group 1 Lightning Stakes at Flemington).

The four-year-old gelding, a $600,000 Easter yearling purchase in 2020, has had several trainers and is really hitting his straps in her care.

He has raced four times for Ryan, never been out of a placing and has now won two on end.

Ryan has 22 horses in racing trim, and rides Chief Conductor in his work.

She said before the race that he had not gone backwards since scoring at Hawkesbury on April 13, and that was confirmed when he carried 59.5kg after Jett Stanley’s 2kg claim to land the Wyong Roos Foundation Midway Benchmark 64 Handicap (1100m).

Chief Conductor had to work early after an awkward beginning, then fellow Wyong representative, Rod Bailey’s Mr Bingo ($18), gave him no peace in front.

All credit to the winner, but Mr Bingo was excellent also in trying so hard to finish second.

The remaining three races were won by Team Hawkes with first starter Consenza ($3.60 joint favorite), John O’Shea with Aunt Roberta ($9.50), and Anthony Cummings took the closer with $3 favorite Reginald.

Racing NSW stewards have adjourned an inquiry into Salaasel ($3.60 co-favorite) being severely checked near the 200m in Consenza’s race.

She had to be eased out of the race and finished 10^th, 12 lengths from the winner.

Pierro filly Aunt Roberta made it two in a row at Wyong, producing another tough staying performance to wear down $2.90 co-favorite The Englishman in the Harvey Norman Commercial & Central Coast Volunteer Rescue Association Class 1/Maiden Plate (2100m).

Stewards also reported that both Gold Witness and Restrictions bled from both nostrils in their respective races, incurring a mandatory three months’ ban from racing.

NEWNHAM BIG CHANCE OF A FAREWELL WIN

May 10, 2023May 9, 2023 by Fran

It’s been almost seven years since Mark Newnham trained his first career winner, taking out a maiden at Wyong with four-year-old gelding Boaz.

In the ensuing time Randwick based Newnham has gone on to taste considerable success and become one of the most respected trainers in the game, with more than 400 victories to his name including four Group 1 wins.

On Thursday he will saddle up his final runners at Wyong as he prepares to relocate to Hong Kong, and it would be fitting if he could go out a winner.

“I trained my first winner there at Wyong, so it would be nice we could have a winner with the last. I think they are winning chances,” he said.

The track has been somewhat of a happy hunting ground for Newnham who has trained 33 winners from 158 runners, his 20.9% winning Wyong strike rate his best of all the Provincial tracks.

Stayer Sonic The Hedgehog provides the stable with a winning hope in the 2100m Class 1 and Maiden.

The four-year-old by American Pharaoh, is getting back to his ideal distance, having previously won over the 2000m at Wyong in April last year.

Sonic The Hedgehog, finished fourth at Gosford over 1900m on April 25 beaten just over a length, and will appreciate the 2100m.

“It looks like a suitable race for him,” Newnham said. “Sonic is fully fit now after a couple of runs back and he won his maiden over this track and distance,” Newnham said.

Newnham also has a good opinion of Mindspace, who represents the stable in the 1600m BM64.

His last two runs have been over 2000m, but Newnham said he hasn’t run out the distance.

“He’ll be better suited over the 1600m and on the better ground. His last couple of runs have been on rain affected tracks and I think he’s better on top of the ground.

“From the nice inside gate he should sit mid-field and be strong late.”

Mindspace, who was a $310,000 yearling, is raced in partnership by Newnham.He has had a win and a third from his previous six starts and Newnham is confident he can make it two wins on Thursday.

The first of eight races at the club’s The Wyong Roos Foundation Race Day, gets underway at 12.20pm.

SELECTIONS:

Race 1 – 12.20pm: ACCOLADE WINES PROVINCIAL 3YO MAIDEN (1350m): 1 EPICUS, 2 Jo Jo Sun, 3 Burrowa, 4 Always In.

Race 2 – 12.55pm: AUSTBROKERS AND BISHOP COLLINS MAIDEN (1350m): 1 LITTLE COINTREAU, 2 Dishin ‘N’ Dancin, 3 Slipstreaming, 4 Commando Jack.

Race 3 – 1.35pm: COCA COLA EUROPACIFIC PARTNERS AND HOSPITALITY SUPPLIES EPXRESS 2YO MAIDEN (1100m): SNATCHREAILLY, 2 Absolute Power, 3 Frenemy, 4 Kovanos.

Race 4 – 2.10pm: NESTLE PROFESSIONAL AND WE CARE CONNECT MAIDEN (1100m): 1 KAPUNDA, 2 Woodlander, 3 Consenza, 4 Silent Russian.

Race 5 – 2.50pm: HARVEY NORMAN COMMERCIAL AND CENTRAL COAST VOLUNTEER RESCUE ASSOCIATION CLASS 1 & MAIDEN (2100m): 1 ITSAGOODDEEL, 2 The Englishman, 3 Thornycroft, 4 Sonic The Hedgehog.

Race 6 – 3.25pm: ARCADE TRADER AND CENTRAL COAST KIDS IN NEED BM64 (1350m): 1 MATRONYMIC, 2 Rockstar Boy, 3 Isorich, 4 Oakfield Waratah.

Race 7 – 4.05pm: WYONG ROOS FOUNDATION MIDWAY BM64 (1100m): 1 RESTRICTIONS, 2 Wondereach, 3 Chief Conductor, 4 Tinka’s Lad.

Race 8 – 4.40pm: CARLTON & UNITED BREWERIES AND REGNIS REFRIGERATION BM64 (1600m): 1 MINDSPACE, 2 Reginald, 3 Flexing, 4 Tip Top Timing.

Next Race Day: May 2 Tickets on sale

HAYSIRI READY FOR NEXT STEP

girls day out at Wyong

NEWNHAM BIG CHANCE OF A FAREWELL WIN

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