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By Gary Harley

With the exception of Hugh Bowman, Sydney’s leading jockeys are heading to Wyong on Tuesday for the eight-race program. Most of Sydney’s major stables are represented but Wyong trainers Kristen Buchanan and Kim Waugh have bright prospects of saddling up winners on their home track.

Buchanan has a trio of runners including Invincible Gangsta (race 4), Macquarie Magic (race 7) and Oakfield Monarch (race 8). Invincible Gangsta, bred and raced by former Newcastle Knight and St George Illawarra second rower Darren Treacy, was very impressive in winning a Newcastle Maiden last start.

It is a pacy field and he will sit off the leaders and run on strongly as he did at Newcastle. Macquarie Magic finished last in a recent short course trial but this is a suitable distance first-up and Avdulla rides. Oakfield Monarch is another Avdulla mount and he was brave at Newcastle last start when runner-up after being left in front a long way from home.

Kim Waugh only has the lone runner Mighty Marmalade engaged in the opening event. The filly is on debut after a recent Gosford trial, has the rails barrier and Blake Shinn.

RACE 1 (KRISTEN BUCHANAN RACING STABLES PROV & COUNTRY MAIDEN, 1100m): The horses that have raced have mediocre form and the local first starter Mighty Marmalade should run well. The filly was never off the bridle in a recent Gosford trial and from barrier one and Shinn to ride expect a bold showing. Trefranian failed in her only start at Newcastle on February 3 but she trialled okay on this track last month.Lucky Halowah is on debut and he hasn’t been far away in two recent trials.
SELECTIONS: 3 MIGHTY MARMALADE, 4 TREFRANIAN, 1 LUCKY HALOWAH

RACE 2 (JEFF ENGLEBRECHT RACING STABLES MAIDEN PLATE, 1100m): Oyster Bay is a 4yo mare on debut after an easy Rosehill trial win on February 5. She led all the way in the trial and she was hard held to the line. She won a trial by 12 lengths when trained in Victoria in November 2016. Xaarfoxylady is first-up after an easy trial win and back in September she was narrowly beaten at Warwick Farm. Inanup wasn’t far away on debut at Gosford in early July and he won a recent Warwick Farm trial.
SELECTIONS: 3 OYSTER BAY, 7 XAARFOXYLADY, 1 INANUP

RACE 3 (ALLAN DENHAM RACING STABLES 2YO MAIDEN PLATE, 1350m): On The Take was doing her best work late in the recent Group 3 Widden and she will have benefited from her initial start. The extra trip is ideal and she won a trial with Collett aboard in January. She was back near the tail first-up and she will be closer this time. Laburnum trialled nicely for this debut run and she will run on. Navigator is a first starter and his recent trial was impressive.
SELECTIONS: 8 ON THE TAKE, 7 LABURNUM, 4 NAVIGATOR

RACE 4 (LES TILLEY RACING STABLES CLASS 2, 1000m): Invincible Gangsta resumed after a gelding operation with a brilliant win at Newcastle nine days ago. What is expected to be a hot pace will play into the hands of Invincible Gangsta which has a good turn of foot. Leogang bolted in on this track three weeks ago and he has won two from three since coming from Victoria. Lady I Am trialled well for this first-up run.
SELECTIONS: 1 INVINCIBLE GANGSTA, 2 LEOGANG, 3 LADY I AM

RACE 5 (TRACEY BARTLEY RACING STABLES MAIDEN PLATE, 1350m): Eaglehawk was stiff last start at Newcastle and he will appreciate the longer trip. He was held up in the straight and his jockey protested unsuccessfully against the winner. Crystal Billy will race without blinkers for the first time after he finished a close fourth at Randwick last start. Guipure has raced well in two city starts last year and his recent trial was full of merit.
SELECTIONS: 2 EAGLEHAWK, 1 CRYSTAL BILLY, 5 GUIPURE

RACE 6 (ALLAN KEHOE RACING STABLES MAIDEN, 1600m): A very open race. The regally-bred Saint Katarina is close to a win after a close third at Kembla in her only start on January 31. The filly is an on-pacer and from the soft barrier Shinn could control the race. Ladies’ Gem was nailed on the line second-up at Kembla recently and should run well. Flying is set to improve after two runs from a spell.
SELECTIONS: 5 SAINT KATARINA, 4 LADIES’ GEM, 8 FLYING

RACE 7 (DAMIEN LANE RACING STABLES BM70, 1350m): Global Rocket is in top form with two wins and two placings from four starts this prep. He got up on the line at Muswellbrook last start and he did likewise at Orange three starts back. Collett should be able to put the gelding in the box seat from the rails barrier. Macquarie Magic finished last in a recent 800 metre trial but the engagement of Avdulla and the 1350 metre trip suggest he will run well. Elle A Walking a city placegetter last start has a chance.
SELECTIONS: 4 GLOBAL ROCKET, 6 MACQUARIE MAGIC, 9 ELLE A WALKING

RACE 8 (KIM WAUGH RACING STABLES BM65, 2100m): Chilli Beauty has won her last two starts over 2000 metres at Kembla. If she can produce that form away from her home track she will be hard to beat. Oakfield Monarch was run down late at Newcastle after being left in front 500 metres from home. Follow On is the likely leader and he could prove hard to run down.
SELECTIONS: 2 CHILLI BEAUTY, 3 OAKFIELD MONARCH, 4 FOLLOW ON

GARY HARLEY'S LATE MAIL
RACE 1
3 MIGHTY MARMALADE – TOP JOCK, GOOD BARRIER, ONE TO BEAT
4 TREFRANIAN – EXPECT BIG IMPROVEMENT
1 LUCKY HALOWAH – TRIALS OK
5 CRYSTAL PEARL – NOT THE WORST

RACE 2
3 OYSTER BAY – GOOD TRIAL FORM
7 XAARFOXYLADY – SPEEDY. EASY TRIAL WIN
1 INANUP – WENT OK ONLY START
2 MONEY TRAVELS – LONGER TRIP SUITS

RACE 3
8 ON THE TAKE – BIG DROP IN CLASS
7 LABURNUM – 1ST START. NICE TRIAL
4 NAVIGATOR – STRONG TRIAL EFFORT
3 CLOAK – HIT LINE OK IN TRIAL

RACE 4
1 INVINCIBLE GANGSTA – BRILLIANT WIN AT NEWCASTLE
2 LEOGANG – VERY QUICK & FLYING
3 LADY I AM – READY 1ST UP
4 TAPAVINO – NEVER FAR AWAY

RACE 5
2 EAGLEHAWK – GOOD THING BEATEN LAST TIME
1 CRYSTAL BILLY – HAS FOOT ON THE TILL
5 GUIPURE –SET FOR 1ST UP WIN
9 SEMPER FIDELIS – CITY PLACINGS ONLY 2 STARTS

RACE 6
5 SAINT KATARINA – PUT WRITING ON WALL LAST TIME
4 LADIES’ GEM – NAILED LATE LAST START
8 FLYING – LAST RUN HER BEST
9 GUANGDONG –IMPROVING

RACE 7
4 GLOBAL ROCKET – CAN’T FAULT FORM
6 MACQUARIE MAGIC – EASY WIN ONLY START HERE
9 ELLE A WALKING – LAST RUN ENCOURAGING
8 HIGH TRANQUILITY – FORM IS GOOD ENOUGH

RACE 8
2 CHILLI BEAUTY – CHASING A HAT TRICK
3 OAKFIELD MONARCH – BRAVE LAST START
4 FOLLOW ON – FRONT RUNNER WITH A CHANCE
5 BUGLE CALL – VIC FORM OK

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