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By Rod Fuller

With the opportunity to steer a path towards the upcoming Newhaven Park Country Championship series, Boncassie ($3.60 favourite on TAB) is set to provide the testing material in the $65,000 GemLife Queen of the North at Port Macquarie on Friday.

The daughter of Bon Hoffa resumed from a spell with an eye-catching second when beaten just over a length at Coffs Harbour a fortnight ago and will derive a great deal of benefit from the outing in preparation for the fillies and mares classic.

Adding further merit to the performance, the Brett Bellamy-trained mare travelled close to the inside section of her home track and hit the lead in the straight before being claimed down the outside by Swamp Nation.

Coffs Harbour-based trainer Brett Bellamy

Form when previously in work includes a victory on heavy ground at Taree before running a gallant placing behind Auntie Monnie during the Grafton July Carnival.

With a racing pattern at the circuit providing some advantage to horses racing near the leaders, this should be most advantageous for Boncassie and many keen form judges believe the event will provide a great springboard to the rich country series.

The main danger centres around Crowned Empress ($5) with the John Sprague-trained mare freshened up following consistent performances on the north coast late last year.

After a narrow third in open company at Grafton last November, the astute local mentor rested the daughter of Hallowed Crown before a solid barrier trial placing at Tuncurry last week.

The weight allowance provided by in-form apprentice, Jasper Franklin, should provide plenty of confidence and it is ironic that Crowned Empress was able to defeat Boncassie in Class 2 company by just under a length at this corresponding program last year.

With many chances in a race of this nature, Par Avion ($7.50) comes into calculations following an impressive Taree trial win a fortnight ago with an exhibition gallop at Tuncurry last weekend indicating the Terry Evans-trained mare is close to the mark.

Evans also has a great chance in the final race with Sir Ravanelli ($3 favourite) as the ghostly grey attempts to make amends after promising performances at Rosehill last October.

On an extremely strong program featuring capacity fields spread throughout the afternoon, Convincebility ($4.20 equal fav) could commence the day well for punters after recent provincial barrier trial victories.

The son of Hellbent is a new arrival to the Kris Lees training establishment and it is significant that Darryl McLellan has been engaged by the stable for the ride.

Khumbu ($3.50 fav) looks scheduled for success in the third race following a narrow second behind Woburn Abbey earlier in the month while Paul Shailer has a couple of strong chances on the card headed by Mista Razzledazzle ($3.40 fav) in the Class 3 Handicap.

On her best form, I Know the Trainer ($7) has strong prospects in race five following wins at Grafton and Port Macquarie with Paul Smith seemingly finding the key to the Flying Artie mare following difficulties at the barrier stalls earlier in her career.

The GemLife Queen of the North has developed into a wonderful race with Cecilia providing Shayleigh Ingelse with her biggest thrill in a short apprentice riding career when she piloted the mare to a dominant victory for Aleacia Bennett in last year’s event.

The daughter of Darci Brahma bounded clear to land the prestigious prize over the Wayne Wilkes-trained mare, Chase My Crown. Despite not having a runner in Friday’s race, Wilkes has enjoyed wonderful success in this classic having posted victories with Bellastar, Lucciola Belle and Shotgun Roulette over the previous six years.

Lucciola Belle tasted victory four years ago and progressed to score in the district Country Championships Qualifier before finishing a gallant second to Noble Boy in the Final at Randwick.

Heavenly Glow heads the honours list for the Queen of the North after winning the race in 2008 and then progressing to victories in the Group 1 Storm Queen Stakes, the Group 1 Australian Oaks followed by the Group 3 Doomben Roses in succession.

Heavenly Glow’s earned overall prizemoney of just under $800,000 and was ridden by recently retired jockey, Robert Thompson, who also piloted Leviosa to victory in 2012.

Al Nova has the honour of winning the race on two occasions for the popular Neil Godbolt and Alison Threadwell combination following success in 2013 and a repetition the following year.

Port Macquarie Race Club is delighted to be associated with GemLife in the staging of one of the feature race meetings on the racing calendar.

Located in the beautiful coastal town of Lake Cathie, GemLife Rainbow Beach will offer a tranquil sanctuary in an area renowned for its extraordinary natural beauty and relaxed lifestyle.

Minutes from stunning beaches, ocean-front subtropical rainforest, protected national parks and the State’s second largest estuarine lagoon, GemLife Rainbow Beach is the perfect place to begin a whole new life. The resort is convenient to local shopping, transport and medical services, and is a short distance from the thriving Mid North Coast town of Port Macquarie.

General admission tickets can be pre-booked or purchased on raceday with further information regarding reserved seating available by contacting the Port Macquarie Race Club office on 02 6581 1964 or email admin@portmacquarieraceclub.com.au

There are plenty of great viewing and seating areas available with refreshment, dining and wagering facilities in full operation throughout the grounds.

SELECTIONS
Race 1 – 1.15pm GEMLIFE CG&E MAIDEN HCP (1100M): 8 Convincebility, 3 Powder Man, 6 Voigner
Race 2 – 1.50pm GEMLIFE F&M MAIDEN HCP (1100M): 4 Island Tide, 8 Never Sorry, 14 She’s Soo Good
Race 3 – 2.25pm GEMLIFE COUNTRY BOOSTED MAIDEN PLATE (1500M): 2 Khumbu, 6 Thinkin’ Bo You, 4 Royal Kew
Race 4 – 3.05pm GEMLIFE CLASS 3 HCP (1500M): 2 Mista Razzledazzle, 9 Bladnoch, 6 Persian Beauty
Race 5 – 3.45pm GEMLIFE COUNTRY BOOSTED CLASS 2 HCP (1000M): 4 I Know the Trainer, 2 Clifton Springs, 10 My One
Race 6 – 4.20pm GEMLIFE CLASS 1 HCP (1200M): 3 Darci Diva, 11 Thief by Night, 5 Strobing
Race 7 – 4.55pm GEMLIFE QUEEN OF THE NORTH- F&M BENCHMARK 74 HCP (1200M): 3 Boncassie, 1 Crowned Empress, 10 Moon Over Alice
Race 8 – 5.34pm GEMLIFE BENCHMARK 66 HCP (1100M): 3 Sir Ravanelli, 11 Reateros, 9 Mr Tabasco

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Port Macquarie here