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Wyong Race Club will host its second Saturday race meeting in two weeks on Saturday and with a sunny 24 degree fine day predicted and a heathy crowd is anticipated. Racing commences with the Carlton & United Breweries Fillies and Mares Class 1 Handicap (1300m) featuring three talented, lighted raced females from three leading stables.
Kris Lees trains Imposant, a filly which won by 2.23 lengths first-up on the Beaumont Track on December 16. It was a provincial meeting and she stormed home to win running away over 1200m. The three-year-old, part-owned by the trainer's wife, Kristy, will appreciate the rails barrier and Andrew Gibbons has the mount.
Tim Martin's Give Me Joy, a brilliant 5.67 length Wyong maiden winner over this trip two weeks back, has a great chance. This is a much stronger field, however, with promising apprentice Hannah Williams claiming 3kg and a positive barrier, the mare will probably lead.
Chris Waller's American Pharoah filly Ring Me Up has not raced since an impressive Kembla win on debut in August. She was a $2 chance and came from midfield on the turn to grab the lead late. Ring Me Up was eased back to last at the start of a recent Rosehill trial and Tommy Berry never let her off the bit. Lee Magorrian rides on Saturday in a very competitive race.
Locally-trained Woodlander, an all the way winner at double figures at Gosford on December 21, has bright prospects despite drawing a wide barrier in the Dimension One Glass Fencing Class 1 Handicap (1300m).
Tracey Bartley trains the gelding and he beat the Godolphin colt Restonica by 4.98 lengths at Gosford and Restonica was an easy winner at Kembla on Wednesday. Aaron Bullock rode Woodlander at Gosford but Lee Magorrian has the mount on Saturday.
The Extreme Cat, unbeaten in two starts since joining the Newcastle stable of Nathan Doyle, is set to win again when he contests the De Bortoli Wines Provincial Benchmark 68 Handicap (1200m).
Formerly in Maher and Eustace's Victorian stable where he was a runner-up in two of his three starts on country tracks, both his wins for Doyle have been on soft tracks. He bolted in at Coffs Harbour in a super maiden on November 30 and the gelding ran over the top of the leaders to win by 1.54 lengths at Gosford on December 21.
The Extreme Cat has been ridden by Ash Morgan in both NSW starts but Koby Jennings will be in the saddle on Saturday.
Consistent stayer California Grass deserves to win her first race this campaign when she steps out in the 2100m Tabcorp Benchmark 64 Handicap. Both the mares wins including one at Wyong were on soft tracks, however, she just missed on a good 4 at Newcastle on November 21. She is a solid stayer but nearly always has to come from the tail of the field.
Two starts back California Grass came from way back when beaten 1.26 lengths at Rosehill and last start on December 20 she finished second at Warwick Farm. Trainer by John Thompson, the mare carries the colours of the Tait family, of Tie The Knot fame, and Keagan Latham rides her.
Race 1, Carlton & United Breweries Class 1, 1300m: Imposant bolted in first-up at the provincial class meeting on the Beaumont Track on December 16. The longer trip is ideal and while this is a much stronger field, the filly could be better than provincial class. Barrier one should ensure she has a good run in transit just off the speed. Give Me Joy won by 5.67 lengths on this track last start. This race is much tougher, however, she is quick and promising. Ring Me Up, in the famous Ingham colours, looked good winning at Kembla in her only start.
Selections: 3 Imposant, 1 Give Me Joy, 5 Ring Me Up
Race 2, Tabcorp Benchmark 64 Handicap, 2100m: California Grass is a strong finisher in good form this campaign. She hit the line hard when runner-up at Warwick Farm last start, two starts back was only 1.26 lengths from the winner at Rosehill and is a winner at the track. Xtrarevz will appreciate the dry track and has won a couple of races over the staying journeys. Supertrail led all the way to win at Wyong last start.
Selections: 3 California Grass, 1 Xtrarevz, 7 Supertrail
Race 3, Mercure Kooindah Waters Resort Maiden Plates, 1000m: Parmenio has had a couple of trials for his first-up run. He has been placed in four of seven starts and was slow out when placed on this track before a spell. He has been placed in all three Wyong starts and is a metropolitan placegetter. Russian Snitzel has won here last three trials on metropolitan tracks and is a treat. All Too Zatso was placed in two starts here in November.
Selections: 4 Parmenio, 14 Russian Snitzell, 10 All Too Zatso
Race 4, De Bortoli Wines Benchmark 68 Handicap, 1200m: The Extreme Cat is unbeaten since joining the Nathan Doyle stable and he has a career record of five starts for two wins and two seconds. This horse has been favourite in all five starts and bolted in first-up at Coffs Harbour on November 30. He ran over the top of the leaders again to win easily at Gosford on December 21. General Soho put the writing on the wall when he stormed home for second on this track first-up and he is a second-up winner. French Marine is the class runner and could run well.
Selections: 5 The Extreme Cat, 2 General Soho, 1 French Marine
Race 5, Sky Channel Super Maiden Plate, 1600m: Dunbelievin's first-up run on this track on December 13 was a beauty when he was unlucky. That run indicated he would be ready for the mile second-up. In July he made up good ground when 2.45 lengths from the winner in a Randwick 2yo Saturday race. Blend Of Three was narrowly beaten on debut at Bathurst recently and he had been trialing well. Stratified tired late in both starts on the two Newcastle tracks in December but the shorter straight will be more to his liking.
Selections: 6 Dunbelievin', 5 Blend Of Three, 9 Stratified
Race 6, Dimension One Glass Fencing Class 1 Handicap, 1300m: Woodlander has come back from a spell in good form and has the speed to overcome the wide barrier. He led all the way to win easily second-up at Gosford on December 21. First-up he got way back at Hawkesbury and he ran on well into third place. Kadall is close to a win after two runs this prep and Skylight Song races well here.
Selections: 2 Woodlander, 6 Kendall, 5 Skylight Song
Race 7, Senpos Maiden Handicap, 1300m: Taxpayer was narrowly beaten first-up on this track recently. He will be fitter and over the longer trip will race on the speed. Shebrings Beauty has been placed in five of six starts in Victoria and she trialed nicely at Warwick Farm recently. Spanish Fox is on debut and won a Randwick trial.
Selections: 3 Taxpayer, 5 Shebring's Beauty, 6 Spanish Gox