Latest News

By Gary Harley

Sydney’s premiership-winning jockey of last season, Brenton Avdulla, has a great book of rides at the Wyong meeting on Thursday. Avdulla has seven mounts and most of them will run as favourite in their respective events. ‘The Gun’ has two rides for Gerald Ryan and two for James Cummings.

Ryan and Avdulla combine with topweight Coterie ($1.55 favourite on TAB fixed odds) in race 2 and the three-year-old is clearly the best credentialled in this race. He resumes after two nice trials and on ANZAC Day he was only two lengths behind The Autumn Sun when placed at Randwick. Ryan saddles up promising stayer Fast Train ($1.80 fav) in race 5 and he is Avdulla’s best ride. The colt demolished a 12-horse field at Hawkesbury last start.

His other mounts include Segalas (race 1, $1.60 fav) and Watchdog (race 7, $2.80 fav) for Godolphin, Chris Waller's Heaven Help Me ($6.50) in race 4, Lucky Helmet ($2.60 fav) for John O’Shea in race 6, and Blazing Beau ($9) for Jarrod Austin in the last race.

RACE 1 (WWW.TAB.COM.AU MAIDEN PLATE, 1350m): Segalas’ only run was on this track and she was gallant when runner-up (0.5 len) behind Kris Lees’s smart filly Evalina. She raced on the speed and will do likewise on Thursday. Oakfield Romance ($7) has been placed a couple of times from adverse barriers and she could fill a place. Frascati Miss ($6) is on debut after a creditable trial.
SELECTIONS: 7 SEGALAS, 3 OAKFIELD ROMANCE, 2 FRASCATI MISS

RACE 2 (GO ELECTRICAL TUGGERAH MAIDEN, 1200m): Coterie is a class above these on his best form. On ANZAC Day he was placed at Randwick two lengths behind The Autumn Sun and he was beaten a length by Royal Celebration at Warwick Farm in May. The 3yo resumes after two nice trials. Bravo Del Campos ($5.50) is on debut after three solid trials. California Laestar ($5) can improve.
SELECTIONS: 1 COTERIE, 2 BRAVO DEL CAMPOS, 4 CALIFORNIA LAESTAR

RACE 3 (AUSTRALIAN BLOODSTOCK MAIDEN PLATE, 1600m): Jarhead ($2.10 fav) stormed home from the tail of the field when a close second over 1350 here last start. He will appreciate the 1600 and with pace in the race he should be too strong late. Ulusaba ($2.30), narrowly beaten at Hawkesbury last start, is another runner with a chance. Topweight Coast Zou ($5) is an improver.
SELECTIONS: 3 JARHEAD, 7 ULUSABA, 1 COSTA ZOU

RACE 4 (WYONG CHRISTMAS @ THE RACES MAIDEN, 1200m): Admissible ($3.70) is well placed here first-up from a spell. The filly has only had two starts and she was placed in a hot Gosford Maiden behind Pretty In Pink and King on debut on ANZAC Day. In her only other start she was two lengths from the winner at Warwick Farm. Prahaar ($2.80 fav) has been placed in three of five starts, has barrier one and Tommy Berry. Everlasting Love ($4.40) has placed in three of four and is trialling well.
SELECTIONS: 4 ADMISSIBLE, 1 PRAHAAR, 2 EVERLASTING LOVE

RACE 5 (CARLTON & UNITED BREWERIES CLASS 1 & MAIDEN PLATE, 2100m): The lightly-raced Fast Train steps up to 2100m for the first time and he looks a stand out. After an eye-catching placing over 1500m at Muswellbrook on August 21, the 3yo won an 1800m Maiden by more than six lengths. Fidele’s Choice ($5) bolted in at Gosford two starts back then struck a firm track when unplaced at Kembla. Lady Kaikilani ($14) was placed behind a smart horse at Hawkesbury last start.
SELECTIONS: 3 FAST TRAIN, 4 FIDELE’S CHOICE, 12 LADY KAIKILANI

RACE 6 (DE BORTOLI WINES CLASS 2, 1600m): Lucky Helmet was very impressive in an easy last start win at Newcastle. She will have no problem with the longer trip and she has a nice barrier and Avdulla. The filly was runner-up in a strong Maiden on this track two starts back. Godunov ($3.20) will improve on his first-up unplaced run when favourite at Rosehill on September 26. Devil’s Lair ($5) is first-up after winning two races at Kembla during the autumn.
SELECTIONS: 4 LUCKY HELMET, 2 GODUNOV, 1 DEVIL’S LAIR

RACE 7 (ONE STELLA SUNDAY OCTOBER 21 BM64, 1350m): Soir de Lune ($4) was first up when a narrow winner at Wyong on September 23. He is an on-pacer and he was placed three times before his breakthrough win. From barrier 1 and with Collett aboard he will be hard to beat. Watchdog ($2.80 fav) was run down on the post at Kembla first-up recently and he had solid form in Victoria in the autumn. Neruda ($6.50) is in good form and has a chance.
SELECTIONS: 2 SOIR DE LUNE, 1 WATCHDOG, 4 NERUDA

RACE 8 (WYONG MAGIC MILLIONS DECEMBER 12 CLASS 2, 1100m): Sophiella ($3.10 fav) is a fast mare resuming after two impressive trials. She won her first two starts at Scone and Gosford early in the year and she started favourite in her only other start when fifth on April 2. Show Me The Honey ($7) was placed at Rosehill last start and has a chance, while Southern Lad ($4.60) resumes after an easy Canterbury win eight months ago.
SELECTIONS: 6 SOPHIELLA, 2 SHOW ME THE HONEY, 1 SOUTHERN LAD

GARY HARLEY’S LATE MAIL
RACE 1
7 SEGALAS – VERY GOOD ON DEBUT
3 OAKFIELD ROMANCE – IN GOOD FORM. BIG CHANCE
2 FRASCATI MISS – 1ST START. TRIAL OK
6 MERLINITE – PLACE

RACE 2
1 COTERIE – CLASS ABOVE THESE
2 BRAVO DEL CAMPOS – ON DEBUT. TRIALS OK
4 CALIFORNIA LAESTAR – EXPECT IMPROVEMENT
7 MR COSTIGAN – HAS RACED OK HERE

RACE 3
3 JARHEAD – EYE CATCHER LAST START
4 NORTHERN VOYAGE – ON PACER
7 ULUSABA – JUST MISSED AT HAWKESBURY
1 COSTA ZOU – NOT WITHOUT A CHANCE

RACE 4
4 ADMISSABLE – BLUEBLOOD & CLASSY
1 PRAHAAR – PLACED 3 OF 5
2 EVERLASTING LOVE – CAN’T FAULT FORM
3 ANOTHER SHADOW – A WIN NOT FAR OFF

RACE 5
3 FAST TRAIN – WON BY 6 LAST RUN
4 FIDELE’S CHOICE – SOFT TRACK IDEAL
12 LADY KAIKILANI – LAST RUN HER BEST
11 HEARTLET – COUNTRY FORM OK

RACE 6
4 LUCKY HELMET – WILL LOVE THIS TRIP
2 GODUNOV – DROP IN CLASS
1 DEVIL’S LAIR – RESUMES. SOLID FORM LAST PREP
5 CINDERCONI – PLACED IN STRONGER RACES

RACE 7
2 SOIR DE LUNE – HAS SOLID RECORD
1 WATCHDOG – NEVER FAR AWAY
4 NERUDA – SPEEDY & FORM GOOD HERE
10 BIG LEGGED WOMAN – PLACE

RACE 8
6 SOPIELLA – FAST FILLY. TRIALLING WELL
2 SHOW ME THE HONEY – HAS FOOT ON THE TILL
1 SOUTHERN LAD – CANTERBURY WINNER RESUMING
7 OXFORD ANGEL – WIDE BARRIER COSTLY LAST RUN