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Wyong trainers Kim Waugh and Damien Lane will await the outcome of this Sunday’s $80,000 Taree Cup before deciding if they will take on their home track feature on September 1. Both trainers have runners at Taree and how they perform in the 2000m race will determine if they start in the $160,000 Listed Wyong Cup over 2100m.

The Waugh-trained King Viv was impressive in taking out a Benchmark 80 over 2000m at Rosehill last Saturday and has been racing consistently with a second at Doomben over the same distance on July 29. A strong performance in the Taree Cup will give Waugh the confidence to have her first ever shot at the Wyong Cup.

“It will depend on how he runs at Taree as to whether we push on to the Wyong Cup,” Waugh said. “He is racing really well and should be a chance at Taree. I’ve never had a runner in the Wyong Cup so it would be really good to get him there, particularly in good form. We will see how he runs and pulls up after Taree before deciding if we’ll have a go.”

Lane is also yet to have a runner in his home track Cup and is relying on the performances Pirate Ben and Mr McBat at Taree.

“I think the Wyong Cup will be a really hot race so they will have to show something at Taree for me to head that way,” Lane said. “Pirate Ben has been racing consistently but I’m not sure if he is up to the standard of horses the Wyong race is likely to attract.

“Mr McBat is untried over the distance but he has also been racing well. I think they would either have to win or be placed at Taree for me head to Wyong.”

Lane said while it would be great to have a winner in the Wyong Cup they would have to be competitive: “I wouldn’t run them just for the sake of it, so hopefully they run well at Taree and we can head that way.”

Bjorn Baker has indicated he may target the $125,000 Listed Winning Commercial Mona Lisa Stakes on Wyong Cup Day with Lubiton and Imposing Lass.

“I had hoped to have a Cup runner but that doesn’t look likely now but both Lubiton and Imposing Lass could run in the Mona Lisa,” he said. “It looks a good race for both mares so I will see how they are going leading up to it.”

Baker, the winner of the 2016/2017 Wyong Trainers' Premiership, said he enjoys taking runners to Wyong: “I like racing there and it was very nice to get the Premiership. I was surprised when they told me but it’s always good to get these awards.”

Baker won the Premiership on a countback with Kris Lees, both having had 11 wins but the Baker stable hade more placings.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Taree's Country Showcase meeting here

View the race program for Wyong Gold Cup Day here