Saturday looms as a big day for Wayne Seelin with the
Wyong based trainer saddling up more than half his stable at two venues.
His consistent galloper Cliff’s Choice and maiden
Doin’ Shots will be racing on their home track, while veteran Isorich and
speedy mare Invincible Kiss line up at the Kensington meeting.
“It will be a
busy day and be great to see them all run well,” Seelin said.
“We have been enjoying a nice little patch at the
moment with a few winners, so it would be good if that can continue.
“I’m training about seven horses at present and happy
with that number. I do them all myself so don’t want to get much bigger and
I’ve got a good bunch of owners at the moment.”
Seelin believes Cliff’s Choice, coming off a fifth at
Wyong last start, should run well over his ideal distance.
He lines up from barrier seven in the 1350m BM64, with
Winona Costin in the saddle.
“He jarred up a bit last run and I would have liked to
have seen a bit of rain but unfortunately that didn’t happen. We’ve been doing
a bit with him but he’s going alright now.
“His best distance is anywhere between 1200m to 1400m
and he goes well around Wyong.
“I’d probably like to see him just off the speed, in
the first five or six, that’s when he seems to finish off well.”
Seelin said if Cliff’s Choice continued to improve, he
would consider a metropolitan start.
“They all get their turn if they deserve it, but they
have to earn the right to go. “He’s doing everything right at this stage.”
Seelin isn’t as upbeat about the chances of his maiden
runner Doin’ Shots, a Shooting To Win gelding who has been unplaced in eight
starts.
“He’s a big horse and it’s taking a bit to get him
fit,” he said. “He’s been struggling in his races, but he is bred to stay.
“He’s over the 1600m on Saturday and I’ll continue
stepping him up but if he doesn’t show us something, he might have a limited future.”
At Kensington, Seelin considers both his runners’
chances.
“Isorich has drawn the outside gate again but I’m not
too worried. He will push forward and be a chance.
“The other little one is flying at the minute and with
no weight and barrier one, she will be a sneaky chance too.”
Wyong’s Summer Festival Of Racing, continues with a
seven race meeting, getting underway at 12.59pm.
SELECTIONS:
Race 1 –
12.59pm: WWW.TAB.COM.AU 4YO & UP MAIDEN (1200m): 1 CANZONET, 2 Monstrosity, 3 Lake Marion, 4
Supra Marnium.
Race 2 – 1.34pm: HIT 101.3 FAMILY RACE DAY JANUARY 26
CLASS 1 (1100m): 1 MANDIRIGMA, 2 Deepfield’s Raine, 3 Bushido, 4 Belle
Of Clonmel.
Race 3 – 2.09pm: CENTRAL COAST BUILDING MAIDEN
(1600m): 1MCGRAW, 2 Sayl, 3 Completed, 4 Keen On Gold.
Race 4 – 2.44pm: RYAN’S METAL ROOFING MAIDEN (1350m): 1
CHANTING, 2 First Crown, 3 California August, 4 Lady Legend.
Race 5 – 3.16pm: CANADIAN CLUB CLASS 2 (1600m): 1
FAIRY ME HOME, 2 Highjacker, 3 Judicator, 4 Mowanjum.
While Kristen Buchanan took a well-earned break her
consistent galloper Jazzland returned to form to win the SKY RACING SUMMER
PROVINCIAL SERIES – HEAT 5 WYONG in impressive fashion.
And it wasn’t the stable’s only win with new stable addition Ocean Go proving too strong in the 1350mClass 2, bringing up a double for the Buchanan/Parr combination.
It was courtesy of a great front-running ride by
Josh Parr, that saw Jazzland speed away from his rivals on straightening to win
the Provincial Series heat by almost two lengths, eased down on the line.
He will now contest the $150,000 series final at
Gosford on December 27.
“He certainly appreciates the mile, especially
here, “Parr said after the win.
“We went a step further with him last start up to
2000m and it was just too much for him. It was more like him today.
“The team here have done a really good job with him
and he will appreciate the same distance in the final at Gosford.”
Buchanan is currently enjoying a cruise with family
and left her in-form stable in the hands of foreman Shaun Harvey.
“He loves it at Wyong and he and Josh are a good
combination,” he said.
“He just went too quick at Kembla last start over
the 2000m. He can run 11’s here for the sectionals over 1600m and keep going
but not over 2000m.
“We took him back to the trials and gave him a bit
of a break and he was nice and fresh coming here today.
“We will see how he pulls up, but I’d say he will
head for the final.”
Harvey said Jazzland, who has now had 13 starts for
six wins and four minor placings, was a stable favourite.
“He’s just a home bred horse but has put together a
great record and we all love him,” he said.
It was a Wyong quinella in the race, with the Waugh
trained Calabasas ($8.50) second, over Mr Garcia ($3.20) from the Lees stable.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kiwi import Ocean Go was having his second start
for the stable in the TWIN LAKES AIR & SOLAR CLASS 2, after finishing
second at Newcastle on December 1.
The four-year-old had five starts in New Zealand
before his Hong Kong based owners moved him to Buchanan’s stable.
Parr had to chase hard in the final stages of the
race after Quick Finance kicked two lengths clear in the straight.
“I had to ride him really hard into the corner and
considering it is only his second start going this direction, he ran really
well,” he said.
“I was forced to go a bit earlier than I would have
liked, so he had a strong gallop all the way.”
Foreman Shaun Harvey said it was a great win.
“He really hit the line strong after a tough race.
He was good first up, and we knew he would run well here today. He really
appreciated the extra distance and he will be more suited getting out to a mile
or further. He’s a great horse to have in the stable.”
Ocean Go ($3) beat Quick Finance, trained by Kevin
Moses, by half a length, with the $1.95 favourite Brunetta, almost two lengths
behind in third.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Wayne Seelin was full of praise for the ride by
Hugh Bowman after the champion jockey partnered his mare Invincible Kiss
($3.20) to a home track victory in the 1000m WYONG EQUINE CLINIC BENCHMARK 64.
The win brought up a race to race double for
Bowman.
It was the second win from 16 starts for Invincible
Kiss, who was narrowly beaten at Wyong last start over the same distance.
“I had my
heart in my mouth for a little while down the straight when he was held up for
a run and then I remembered I had Hugh on,” Seelin said. “It was a great ride.
“He had to ask her permission when the gap opened
but when he did bang. She’s been going really good for a while and she loves
Wyong.
“She is tough and very consistent. I think it was
just a matter of her growing up but she’s racing so well now.”
Bowman said the five-year-old mare had travelled
well throughout.
“I needed a bit of room and was able to get that
and she let down really well,” he said. “She travelled really sweet in the run.
It is nice riding horses when they want to win like that.”
Invincible Kiss beat the $2.20 race favourite
North, from the Snowden stable, with Thermosa ($7) trained by Rodney Robb,
third.
Rejinsky could chase black type at his next start
after an impressive debut win in the FIGTREE GROUP MAIDEN over 1000m.
The well-bred Redoute’s Choice colt came from the
rear of the field, with jockey Aaron Bullock patiently waiting for a split on
the turn.
When the gap opened the three-year-old sped away to
win by almost half a length.
Relieved trainer Grant Allard said the plan had
been to ride him close but when he was tardy at the start Bullock had opted to
settle him back in the field.
“His two trials were good coming into this, but I
genuinely don’t think he’s a 1000m horse, he’s probably best around 1400m or a
mile but we had to kick off somewhere. He was a touch slow getting away, was
held up in traffic, found the gap and hit the line pretty good,” Allard said.
“I think he is a pretty good horse in the making, a
nice horse with a nice future.
“We’ve ticked one boss ticked here so we’ll see how
he eats up and look at possibly starting him in the Gosford Guineas next
Friday.”
Bullock said he knew Rejinsky was a nice horse
leading into the race.
“I knew he had ability off his trials, but he is a
pretty nice horse,” he said. “They burnt me early, so I just took the sit and I
always had plenty of horse. I was a bit worried coming to the corner whether
I’d get out, but the outside horse just dropped off and he attacked the line
like a nice horse. He’s definitely going to win more races.”
Rejinsky, who was having his first run for the
Allard stable, was sent out $2.90 favourite on the back of his two recent trial
wins.
He beat the Widdup trained Vulpine ($5), with Enamour ($5) from the O’Shea
stable, third.
The Sepoy gelding justified his short-priced
favouritism with an effortless three and three-quarter length win with Hugh
Bowman in the saddle.
Bowman was able to dictate terms, with a great
front-running ride, drawing away in the straight.
“He is a really nice horse and I’m not surprised to
see him win like that,” Pride said.
“He’s a progressive gelding who will make a nice
city class horse, so being a gelding he will just work his way through the
grades.
“He is a very laid by type and they ran a good time
today, while still looking like he had something under the bonnet.”
Bowman agreed the four-year-old could have a
future.
“He felt good today. He was a short-priced
favourite so the result but somewhat expected but it was nice to see him do
it,” Bowman said.
“I feel he is a progressive type. In the start he
was very sluggish in the way he did things but when the gates opened, he was
very relaxed.
“I think he is certainly up to mid-week class.”
Bringing up his debut win at start four, Sea Echo
started $1.18 favourite having been runner up at Wyong in his two previous
starts. He beat Disco Mo ($5.50) trained by Anthony Cummings, with Tony Ball’s Senatorial
($15), third.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A drop back in distance proved to be the key to
Bernson bringing up his second race win in the SM CONCRETE CONSTRUCTIONS KYLE’S
RUN CLASS 1 over a mile.
The Bernardini gelding, had been placed second over
the 1900m and 1800m at his past two starts, with trainer John Thompson deciding
to run him over 1600m.
The move paid off and jockey Rachel King was able
to dictate terms up front, with Bernson ($1.80fav) looking the winner a long
way from home. He drew away in the final stages and was able to record a two-length
victory over the Cymbalic ($4.20) from the Mark Newnham stable, with Mowanjum
($14), trained by Gary Portelli third.
“He seems to be racing a lot more genuinely now,”
King said following the race. “It was a relatively slow pace and that suited
him, and he won well again today.”
Stable representative Danielle Podlewski said the
four-year-old had had a very consistent preparation.
“He’s been racing well. His last couple of starts
he’s run into a few good ones, but it was nice to see him get a win today,” she
said.
“We find he runs the best over the mile and that
showed today. He’s a horse that likes to be kept fresh and happy, so if we can
keep him to the mile, we will do that.
“I think he’s probably done enough this preparation
and will probably head out for a spell.”
A double to Rachel King after the John O’Shea
trained Lillemor ($3.60) proved too strong for her rivals in the ROKBUILT
CLASS 1 over 1200m.
The well-bred filly, made it two wins from two
starts, having scored on debut at Gosford on December 4.
She had no difficulty making the step up to class 1
and King believes the three-year-old has a bright future.
“It will be exciting to see just how far she can
go,” she said.
“She does everything right and is really
straightforward. I wouldn’t mind taking the sit on her as well because she does
get a little bit lost out front, she sort of pricks her ears when she gets
there, but she drew a bad gate today so we had to try and eliminate that by
going forward.
“She’s very genuine, honest and has a really good
attitude. She’s still not 100 percent there yet and is still learning, so it
will be exciting to see how she goes when she learns how to really be a
racehorse.”
Tom Charlton, stable foreman, said the filly does
everything right in her races and is “easy going.”
“She’s an improving filly and it was a great ride
by Rachel,” he said. “She’s very progressive and an easy, uncomplicated filly.”
Lillemor beat Belle Of Clonmel ($11) from the Jason
Coyle stable by a length and a half, with Trengganu ($4.80) trained by Brad
Widdup, third.
Kristen Buchanan concedes Jazzland is a “work in
progress” but is hoping the gelding can return to winning form in Thursday’s
$50,000 heat of the Provincial Series at Wyong.
The race, to be run over 1600m, has attracted a strong
field of nine, with the top three progressing to the $150,000 series final at
Gosford on December 27.
“It looks an ideal race for him, and I think he really
needs to drop back to the 1600m at this stage,” Buchanan said.
“Last start he went too hard in the lead over the
2000m. He was pressured with another horse to lead, and if you look at his
sectional times, he’s run pretty much 11’s throughout and then stopped.
“The horse has taken me a bit by surprise this time
around. He is a lot fresher, is a lot more switched on and has a lot more toe.
That’s why we’ve freshened him up and brought him back to the mile and I won’t
step him up to the 2000m again until he indicates that’s what he needs.
“Last preparation he indicated he needed 2400m, so
I’ve had to reassess.
“He’s a work in progress and is developing more and
getting more switched on. I feel in hindsight I was a bit hasty to step him up
to the 2000m when he didn’t really need to just yet.”
Buchanan said while Jazzland looks well suited in the
race, the Kris Lees trained Mr Garcia would be hard to beat.
“The Class 5 conditions with the set weights means
Kris Lees horse gets in in good order considering his benchmark, but it does
look a nice race for Jazzland, that horse aside. We’d love to get into the
final and have a crack at that as well.
“Josh (Parr) is riding him and knows him so well. He
hasn’t missed a beat on him at Wyong.”
Jazzland has an unblemished record in his three starts
on his home track, with Parr in the saddle for each win.
He will also partner Buchanan’s other runner, Ocean
Go, in the 1350m Class 2.
The Ocean Park gelding has had one start for the
stable, a second at Newcastle over 1200m on December 1, since transferring from
New Zealand.
“He’s a really lovely horse, a beautiful animal and is
showing a lot of promise,” Buchanan said.
“I was very pleased with him first up. He’s definitely
a mile, 2000m horse in the long run, but he was very good over the 1200m at
Newcastle and I think the step up to 1350m will be ideal for him.
“I’ve had a long association with the Hong Kong based
owners and it was my luck they decided to send him my way. He will race very
well.
“It’s been a good season so far and we have a lot of
nice new horses coming through the stable, so it’s looking good.”
The first of seven races, at Wyong’s Christmas At The
Races Day, gets underway at 1.50pm.
SELECTIONS:
Race 1 – 1.50pm: SM CONCRETE CONSTRUCTIONS KYLE’S RUN
CLASS 1 HANDICAP (1600m): 1 CYMBALIC, 2 Satirical Knight, 3 Mowanjum, 4
Bernson.
Race 2 – 2.25pm: DNR AIRCONDITIONING & ELECTRICAL
4YO & UP MAIDEN HANDICAP (1350m): 1 SEA ECHO, 2 Flying Mojo, 3 Lady Legend,
4 Disco Mo.
It was back to back Wyong Magic Million 2YO Classic
wins for the Waterhouse/Bott stable after Farnan handled a step up on class to
take out the $200,000 feature race.
Gai Waterhouse has now claimed the race five times,
the second with co-trainer Adrian Bott, after the pair took out the 2018
version with Unite And Conquer.
In a good training performance, Farnan was taken
from a 2YO Handicap win at Canberra on November 17 to the Wyong race.
The $550,000 yearling purchase was sired by Not A
Single Doubt, who won the first Wyong Magic Millions 2YO in 2003 and sired a
subsequent winner, Karuta Queen in 2010.
Farnan was sent out $2.90 second favourite to the
Mark Newnham trained Every Rose.
Jockey Tim Clark sat just off the leader after
Farnan pinged the gates, hitting the front on straightening to win by a length.
“It’s really exciting,” Bott said after the race.
“He’s a quality individual and it was a big step up
for him from a Canberra maiden to here today. We took a bit of time between his
runs, but his great, professional attitude got him here today.
“He broke brilliantly today and settled well for
Tim (Clark) throughout the run, moved up when he need to and showed a good turn
of foot. All the good attributes that those good two-year-olds have, that’s
what he has got, and it’s taken him a long way.
“We kept him nice and fresh between the two runs
getting him today and it’s great to see him take the next step and exciting for
him.
“He’s a lovely physical type and a nice strong
individual.
“I think he is definitely open to more improvement
off the back of that and he’s on the right path.”
Bott said he would see how the horse pulled up
before deciding if they would run him again before the Gold Coast Classic.
Clark said it was his first ride on the colt and he
was impressed by the way he won.
“He was really impressive. His attitude is great,
and he seems unflappable which is a good attribute to have.
“He began well and got outside the leader no
worries and we controlled the speed from there. He gave a nice kick and I felt
the filly coming at him but he responded for me and was strong to the line.
“He’s done a really good job there, second start in
a race and is progressing nicely.”
Every Rose ($2.35) was second, over the Snowden
trained Remorseless ($13).
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mark Newnham didn’t go home empty handed with the
Diamond Thunder taking out the $100,000 MAGIC MILLIONS WYONG 3YO & 4YO
STAKES and Exceed The Stars winning the 1000m Class 1.
Both were ridden by Josh Parr giving his locally
based fan squad plenty to cheer about.
Parr had to change tactics after the Dawn Approach
gelding dwelt at the start, opting to settle the three-year-old toward the rear
before making his run on the turn.
Hugh Bowman appeared to have snatched victory,
after switching Hightail to the fence in the final stages, but Diamond Thunder
showed his class to grab a narrow half neck win.
It was fifth win from seven starts for the $135,000
yearling, the victory franking his favouritism for the $2m Magic Millions 3YO
Guineas in January.
“What he did today he showed he will definitely be
better once he gets to 1400m,” Newnham said.
“He came and had a look around Wyong on Saturday
morning, I floated him up here for a gallop, and I think it’s been beneficial
in him getting the result today.
“He was a bit awkward back in the field but
gathered them up really well.
“He started a bit slow, which is unusual for him
but he’s a really versatile horse anyway. He’s led in one, he sits back, he’s
got a good will to win.
“Josh did the right thing and let him gather
himself and balance and got the job done.
“He will now go to the Vo Rogue at Eagle Farm on
December 28 and then on to the Gold Coast for the three-year-old Magic
Millions.”
Parr joked he had to revert to ‘plan c’ after the
slow start.
“I’m not sure what happened today. For the first
time in his career he just dwelt at the start and was a bit hesitant over the
first fifty metres of the race,” he said.
“There is nothing like versatility and that comes
from both horse and jockey and I had to deploy plan c.
“He’s got an unbelievable will to win and is
notching up a really good record. The stable and myself have had a lot of time
for him for a very long time and it’s been interesting and intriguing to see
the process of getting him here today.”
The Snowden stable filled the minor placings with
Hightail ($6.50) runner-up, ahead of Leviathan ($3.60).
It was another good ride by Parr that secured
victory for Exceed The Stars ($3.70) who brought up his second win from seven
starts in the WYONG COAL CLASS 1.
“It was a very good win,” Newnham said. “Once he
got into the right spot you could see he was always going to be hard to beat
because the two leaders had gone at it pretty tough together.
“He had the sitting shot at them but still had to
put them away and it was good to see him do that.
“He trialled behind another horse of mine that won
at Rosehill yesterday, so the trial form was good. He’s been a horse that has
been a bit inconsistent but today, as soon as he jumped well and travelled
strongly you know he would be in the finish.
“It was really good.”
Wyong trainers Wayne Seelin, Invincible Kiss
($8.50) and Kristen Buchanan, Designated ($13), were second and third.
Orr, a dual Irish apprenticeship winner, was having
his eighth ride since moving to Australia in late November.
“It’s great to get a winner, especially for Mr
Waller, and hopefully there will be many more to come,” he said.
Orr, settled the Savabeel gelding toward the rear
of the small field, circling on the turn before hitting the front in the final
stages to score a length and a quarter win.
It was the fourth career start for Kimpembe, a
$240,000 Magic Millions yearling.
Stable representative Adam Ritchie said Orr had given
the three-year-old the “perfect Wyong ride.”
“He had him in an ideal position, that suited the
horse well and he was able to go on with it,” Ritchie said.
McGraw ($3.60), trained by Anthony Cummings, fought
on for second, with race favourite Dinado ($3.20fav), third.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Veteran Wyong trainer Stan Thomas bagged another
home-track win just two weeks after his 83rd birthday.
It was the
second Wyong win for the Love Conquers All six-year-old in just over a month.
Mikayla Weir took a sit on the mare, settling her
toward the rear. She took off just before the turn and was able to run down the
Waller trained Fairy Me Home ($8.50) to win by a length.
“I’m not feeling 83 today,” Thomas laughed after
the win.
“She’s a handy little mare and this little girl
rides her so well. The horse loves Wyong and appreciated the extra distance
today.”
Weir said Ondo Pasa, who she partnered in her last
Wyong win, had been “crying out” for the extra distance.
“We thought she’d appreciate the extra ground and
she certainly did,” Weir said.
“I was able to settle her toward the rear and she
let down really well when we got into the clear running.
“It was a good win and Stan is doing a great job.”
Disgraceful ($21) trained by Dale Riley, was third.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Peter and Paul Snowden trained Miss Sure Shot
justified her race favouritism with a strong win in the MAINSTREAM TAXATION
& ACCOUNTANCY SERVICES MAIDEN over 1350m.
The $150,000 Shooting To Win yearling, reaped the
benefits of a well rated, front running ride by Kerrin McEvoy to come away with
her debut win at start four.
Peter Snowden said he believed the filly would
improve further when she could take a sit.
“Kerrin rode her perfectly for the race today but I
don’t think that’s the way to ride her going forward,” he said.
“But you’ve got to get the job done and that was
the only way to do it today and he’s rated her perfectly.
“I’ve always liked her and I’m hoping she can go on
with it.
“I think you’ll see a better filly if she can get
back and you’ll see her turn of foot.”
Miss Sure Foot ($1.55) beat Sea Echo ($4) from the
Pride stable by a length, with the Kristen Buchanan trained My Desire ($21),
third.
The High Chapparal mare looked set for a 2100m race
when she finished fourth over 1900m at Canterbury on November 20.
Cunningham said it was a great ride by Jason
Collett to secure victory for Lady Highly ($3.20) at her fourth race start.
“She’s definitely bred to stay but she’s a bit
quirky,” Cunningham said.
“So it’s been about a bit of education for her and
this was her fourth run this preparation and it was the perfect ride by Jason
for her to get the job done.”
Cunningham said she would see how the horse pulled
up before deciding on her next run.
“We will probably just work her through the grades.
She still has a little bit of learning to go but we’ve found her mark over a
trip.
“Now she’s doing everything right hopefully we will
her along through the grades.”
Collett settled Lady Highly mid-field throughout,
and when the split came in the straight, she showed a good turn of foot in the
final stages to win by two lengths.
The $2.60 race favourite Brilliant Mind, trained by
Gary Moore was second, with Savvy Valentino ($3.80) from the Bjorn Baker stable
third.
Mark Newnham saddles up the favourites in the two feature races at Wyong’s Magic Millions raceday on Thursday and is confident both will be hard to beat.
Every
Rose has been favourite for the $2m Gold Coast Classic since her impressive
debut win in the Gimcrack Stakes in October and continued to please her trainer
with an eye-catching trial win at Randwick on November 26.
Not
surprisingly she is expected to take out the $200,000 Wyong 2YO Classic with
the in-form Rachel King in the saddle, having drawn nicely in barrier
three.
Stablemate
Diamond Thunder will contest the $100,000 MM 3YO and 4YO Stakes and be ridden
by Josh Parr.
“The
Magic Millions has been their specific targets with Wyong part of the journey,”
Newnham said.
“Josh
rode them both work on Saturday. They had a good blow out and I was very happy
with them.”
He
said Every Rose, a $240,000 yearling, had shown good versatility in her race
and trials.
“It is good to have drawn a nice barrier with her but she’s
shown even in her first trial before she raced that she can take a sit and
finish off if need be,” he said.
“When she needed to in the Gimcrack, she led them up. She’s
versatile enough to make do with whatever the conditions are.”
Newnham said Every Rose, is raced by an all-female Darby Racing
syndicate.
They will be eligible for the $250,000 Women’s Bonus if the filly
is one of the first four raced by a female syndicate, to cross the line.
“It is exciting for them being a ladies syndicate with the Gold
Coast becoming a race within a race. It will be good if it comes off.
“She looks an ideal Magic Millions type and being a ladies
syndicate horse there is some incentive there as well.
“There will be a fair few of them coming to Wyong so you might
need to top up the champagne.”
Newnham said while Rachel King will ride the filly at Wyong, Josh
Parr has been booked for the Gold Coast.
“She doesn’t have enough weight for Josh in this race, but he will
take over on the Gold Coast.”
Craig Williams returns to Wyong to partner the Maher/Eustace trained
Rathlin in the race, the Fastnet Rock colt was narrowly beaten in the MM
Classic at Ballarat on November 23.
Newnham’s Diamond Thunder also looks ideally drawn in four, in a
field of eight which includes in-form Godolphin filly Exhilerates.
“Diamond Thunder is just a really tough, consistent horse with
good ability,” he said.
“I just needed to give him that one run in the spring to keep him
ticking over for this otherwise he would have been out too long. He was able to
win that race and this summer was really his target with Thursday, then up to
Queensland in a couple of weeks’ time where he will start on the 28th
and then the Magic Millions 3YO.”
Josh Parr also partners Newnham’s other runner Exceed The Stars,
resuming in the 1000m Class 1.
“He is first up over the 1000m. He might just need one run and
he’s going quite well,” he said.
The first of seven races gets underway at 1.50pm.
SELECTIONS:
RACE 1 – 1.50pm: MAINSTREAM TAXATION & ACCOUNTANCY SERVICES
MAIDEN (1350m): 1 MISS SURE SHOT, 2 Sea Echo, 3 My Desire, 4 Completed.
RACE 2 – 2.25pm: GREAT NORTHERN BREWING CO METRO & PROV MAIDEN
(1600m): 1 DIAMONDS AND RUST, 2 Petrus, 3 Submission, 4 McGraw.
RACE 3 – 3.05pm: MAGIC MILLIONS GOLD COAST IN JANUARY CLASS 1
& MAIDEN (2100m): 1 LADY HIGHLY, 2 Savvy Valentino, 3 Little Arnie, 4 Into
The Oblivion.
Gai
Waterhouse has claimed the most Wyong Magic Millions 2YO Classic titles since
the inception of the race in 2003.
With
two entries among the 16 nominations for this year’s feature, the now
Waterhouse/Bott stable will be hoping to make it back to back wins following
Unite And Conquer’s victory last year.
The
stable has nominated last start Canberra winner Farnan and Vancouver filly,
Found Our Thrill, who was fourth on debut at Kembla last month.
Mark
Newnham’s filly Every Rose looks the standout, resuming from her dominant win
in the Gimcrack Stakes, with an impressive five length barrier trial win at
Randwick on November 26.
The
Maher/Eustace stable has six two-year-olds nominated including last start
Morphetville winner Unstoppable.
Chris
Munce, who won several Wyong feature races as a jockey, has nominated Kavak, a
$145,000 yearling purchase. The colt is an Eagle Farm winner and was runner up
on the Gold Coast in late November.
The
Newnham stable could also hold the key to the $100,000 Magic
Millions 3YO & 4YO Stakes with exciting three-year-old
Diamond Thunder.
The
Dawn Approach gelding has put together an impressive resume with four wins,
including two Listed races, and a placing from six starts.
Australian
Bloodstock’s Think Free, from the Lees stable, is among the 21 nominations, the
So You Think mare having won five of her ten starts, with two placings.
Acceptances
for Thursday’s meeting close at 9am on Tuesday.
Peter
Snowden is planning a two-pronged attack at next Thursday’s Wyong Magic
Millions 2YO Classic.
The stable will saddle up Eagle Farm winner Strike and Written Tycoon colt Remorseless in the $200,000 feature over 1100m.
Strike,
a $150,000 yearling, was an impressive winner on debut at Eagle Farm on October
12.
He
was then spelled and looks to have returned in good order taking out his trial
at Randwick on December 2.
Remorseless,
a $350,000 yearling, also debuted at Eagle Farm in October, finishing sixth
over the 1000m.
“We
sent them both to Brisbane early last preparation and Strike was able to get a win
on the board,” Snowden said.
“They
both went out and came back and the same time and trialled well the other day.
“The
Wyong race looks ideal at this stage and hopefully they can qualify for the
Gold Coast.”
Snowden
last tasted success in the Wyong MM 2YO in 2015 with Capitalist, also by
Written Tycoon, who went on to win both the Gold Coast feature and the Golden
Slipper the following year.
Hightail,
who finished third in last year’s Gold Coast MM 2YO Classic and Zoustar gelding
Leviathan, will both contest the $100,000 Wyong MM
3YO & 4YO Stakes for the Snowden stable.
Nominations for the meeting close at 11am tomorrow.
The locals got the right result when Wyong trainer Tracey Bartley’s impressive mare Commute led her rivals a merry dance leading all the way to win Thursday’s $50,000 feature Hudson Homes Wyong Town Plate.
Jockey Rachel King rode the hot favourite Commute like she was the best horse in the race and she never looked like being run down.
Thursday’s win was her third success from just 13 career starts. The big girl has generally raced very consistently and her record could easily have been better. Thanks to patient handling by Team Bartley the 4yo mare promises to keep improving.
Tracey Bartley suggested after the win that Commute was likely to target the rich $500,000 Polytrack Provincial Championship in March which looks to be an ideal race for the mare.
Mark Newnham’s impressive filly Every Rose will be a definite starter at Wyong’s upcoming $200,000 Magic Millions 2YO Classic on December 12.
The Choisir filly caught the eye on debut with an impressive win in the Group 3 Gimcrack Stakes at Randwick on October 5 over 1000m and has been installed as the early favourite for the $2m Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
Newnham sent the $160,000 yearling purchase straight out for a break after her debut win and she will trial at Randwick next week in preparation for her Magic Millions campaign.
“She’ll trial and then go to Wyong,” Newnham said. “I’ll also have Diamond Thunder in the 3YO and 4YO Wyong race after he trials at Randwick on the same day.”
Newnham was impressed with Every Rose following the Gimcrack win, describing her as having a disposition like a “kid’s pony.”
The filly is sure to draw a crowd to Wyong, with 18 female owners keen to cheer her home.
Raced by Darby Syndications, the filly is vying for half a million dollars in prizemoney if she can be one of the first four horses over the line owned by female syndicates.
Stablemate Diamond Thunder has had four wins from his six starts, his latest being the Brian Crowley Listed on October 26 over 1200m.
Nominations for the Wyong Magic Million race day close on Friday, December 6.
The Club held its Annual General Meeting on 11th November. The meeting was attended by 36 Members, the Club’s auditors plus a number of key management and staff.
The Chairman and CEO updated the meeting on the affairs of the Club over the past 12 months or so, and the Club’s prospects for the future.
The Chairman, John Waghorn, spoke to his report highlighting the significant steps the Club has made in progressing its strategy, much of which has been achieved under the Chairmanship of Garry Whitaker who resigned earlier this year in May. He thanked his fellow directors and staff for their contribution during the year. He also acknowledged the importance of Club’s supportive sponsors, in particular CUB and Magic Millions.
CEO David Jewell, as part of his detailed presentation, confirmed that this was his sixth and final Chief Executive’s report to Members. He indicated that the Club financial result, a net loss of $349k, was disappointing given the Club had enjoyed a largely successful year. The significant reduction in the scheme of distribution from RNSW at the end of FY19 was the major contributor to the Club not being able to report a breakeven result of the year, breaking a four-year streak of positive results for the Club. He noted that all the other Provincial Clubs had reported losses of the same order, in the same year that RNSW reported a $14m profit off the back of increased returns from wagering sources outside of TABCORP.
David Jewell provided the members with a number of key highlights achieved during his tenure as CEO. He confirmed that while he was stepping down as CEO, he was not finished and would be staying on to deliver two significant projects for the Club – the electrical supply upgrade to the stabling area and the construction of a new $4m Polytrack synthetic training track, which received contractual approval from RNSW earlier that day.
David Jewell acknowledged the support of the Club’s Board and staff in making the transformation in the Club’s position possible. He also acknowledged the importance of the continued support received by the Club from its members, trainers, stable staff, owners, contractors, jockeys, RNSW stewards, TAB and Sky Channel staff, the local media, sponsors, the H&H catering team and fellow Provincial Racing Club Chief Executives and their Boards, remarking, “There are a lot of people involved in helping us consistently deliver successful racing events at Wyong. I am very proud to have been part of that team.”
The Meeting elected Darren Hooper via ballot, the General Manager of Unity Bank, to fill the casual vacancy on the Board. In addressing the meeting Darren remarked that he was looking forward to making a positive contribution to the Wyong Race Club as he believed the Club is critical for the long-term prospects of Wyong. The Chairman thanked Darin Butcher for his nomination and expressed his hope that Darin would consider renominating in the future.
Bob Graham was appointed Club Patron for what will be his 30th year in the position.