LOCALS VYING FOR BERTH IN $1M FINAL 

The lure of substantial prizemoney combined with a home track advantage, has Wyong trainers Kim Waugh, Allan Kehoe and Kristen Buchanan accept with runners for this Saturday’s $150k Provincial-Midway Championship Qualifier. 

The Waugh trained Shadows Of Love is already through to the $1m final at Randwick on April 13, the Dissident mare a strong winner of the Gosford Qualifier over 1200m on March 16.

She has accepted with True Crime, who finished sixth in the series Final in 2023 and her consistent mare Sweet Ruby. 

In a super training effort, Waugh has saddled up runners in the nine previous finals and has had five placings.

With Shadows Of Love the current third favourite, she will be hoping to add to her finals arsenal on Saturday. 

Darby Racing’s True Crime was second at his last start over the same track and distance on March 20 and Waugh will be hoping he can replicate this form on Saturday. 

A $25,000 bargain buy, the son of Sooboog has won four of his 15 starts with four minor placings, for more than $322,000 in prizemoney. 

Keagan Latham will partner True Crime from barrier six, while the well credentialed Sweet Ruby has drawn barrier 11 and will be ridden by Ashley Morgan. 

A $70,000 Magic Millions buy, Sweet Ruby resumes from a spell in the qualifier, and looks primed for a strong first up effort on the back of two recent trials.

She has had four wins and six placings from her 20 starts, one victory on the Wyong track and another in city grade. 

The local track and distance will hold no qualms for Kristen Buchanan’s Oakfield Waratah, the five-year-old having won two of her four races at Wyong over the 1350m and being placed in the two others. 

The Dissident gelding resumes from a spell, having won a 1000m trial on the track on March 19. 

Buchanan has only had one runner make it through to the Provincial-Midway Championships Final, Designated in 2020, and will be relying on Lee Magorrian to get the job done. 

Allan Kehoe is vying for his first final runner and hoping his four-year-old mare Moonlight Grace, raced by his family, can be the one. 

The daughter of Scissor Kick has brought up two wins and five placings from her 12 starts and has posted a victory over the 1350m.  She will be ridden by Grant Buckley. 

The feature race gets underway at 5pm, with the track rated a good 4. The first of eight races is scheduled for 1.25pm. 

SELELCTIONS:

Race 1 – 1.25pm: TWIN LAKES AIR & SOLAR MIDWAY MAIDEN (1600m): 1 FRENCH DELIVERY, 2 Scorpion Jack, 3 Hellbetta, 4 Hippy Dreams. 

Race 2 – 2.00pm: REWARD HOMES PROVINCIAL CLASS 1 (1350m): 1 GAGO, 2 Braven, 3 Red Cobra, 4 Tender Steak.

Race 3 – 2.35pm: THE ARY SUPER 3YO MAIDEN (1000m): 1 JAMAKIN MONEY, 2 Sturty, 3 Bambi Belle, 4 Du Cap. 

Race 4 – 3.10pm: LIFEFUL NDIS CLASS 1 & MAIDEN (2100m): 1 HIGH DANDY, 2 Elemental, 3 Tom Cruising, 4 Super Defense. 

Race 5 – 3.45pm: ASH & SONS 2YO MAIDEN (1200m): 1 MARAIS, 2 Interjection, 3 Desirous, 4 Froebel Star. 

Race 6 – 4.20pm: OLIVIERI’S FLORIST MAIDEN (1350m): 1 STAR BLAZER, 2 Good Once, 3 Parade Ground, 4 O’So Demanding.

Race 7 – 5.00pm: $150,000 POLYTRACK PROVINCIAL-MIDWAY CHAMPIONSHIPS QUALIFIER (1350m): 1 AUSBRED FLIRT, 2 Willinga Freefall, 3 Karedada, 4 True Crime. 

Race 8 – 5.40pm: LAKES PODIATRY CONDITIONAL BM68 (1200m): 1 REIGNING KING, 2 Queen Bess, 3 Resistible, 4 Reggie’s Boy.