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By Ray Hickson

We’re still a couple of weeks out from the Polytrack Provincial-Midway Championships Final but the next few days are shaping as significant for Kim Waugh’s chances in the $1 million race.

Trainer Kim Waugh

The Wyong trainer has already qualified two horses for the April 12 race and Mogul Monarch, her latest qualifier, will round off his build up in the TAB Handicap (1400m) at Kensington on Wednesday.

Then on Saturday she’ll have Bojangles engaged at Rosehill to top off his preparation and Northern Eyes will attempt to join them in the Final via a top three finish in the Wild Card on his home track.

Mogul Monarch, $7 with TAB on Tuesday, qualified through the Gosford heat and, while he was beaten into second, Waugh said it was a brave effort.

“I thought it was a really good run, he had to switch back to the inside and change lanes a few times,’’ she said.

“They all got past him and to fight back and run second it was a really good effort. Once they get a length past you it’s hard to pull that back.”

Anna Roper will take 3kg off the gelding’s 62.5kg impost on Wednesday at what will be his first attempt at the 1400m, something Waugh doesn’t see as an issue.

“The way he’s settling now I think he will be fine, the way he hit the line in that 1200m the other day I was happy,’’ she said.

“He’s just learning all the time, he’s getting better and better.”

Bojangles was runner-up in the first heat at Hawkesbury back on February 20 and has since run a close second to Les Vampires at Rosehill last Saturday week.

That was his first attempt in blinkers and he’ll contest a Benchmark 88 over 1400m at Rosehill this Saturday where Waugh hopes he can bring an end to a run of back luck with wide barriers.

“His first run with the blinkers the other day I thought was really good,’’ she said.

“He always hits a flat spot around the 600m. He drew terribly so he’s back further than what he needs to be and has to make these really long runs. It takes away his turn of foot.”

Things haven’t worked out in two attempts to qualify Northern Eyes through a pair of Newcastle heats but Waugh said there were genuine excuses for his midfield finish behind Matcha Latte in the latest.

The first three home in the 1350m Wild Card at Wyong will force their way into the Final.

“He’s going well, his first two runs back haven’t worked out,’’ she said.

Mogul Monarch runs second at Gosford on March 15

“He was jumping around in the barriers the other day, normally he’s first out and he just missed it so that was the end of the section.”

So far the Provincial-Midway Championships Final has eluded Waugh but she’s recorded placings with Oxford Poet (3rd, 2015), His Majesty (3rd, 2016), Newsfan (2nd, 2018), Spring Charlie (2nd, 2019), Oxford Tycoon (3rd, 2020) and Shadows Of Love (3rd, 2024).

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday’s Kensington meeting