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By Gary Harley

Newcastle-based Aaron Bullock, sitting in fourth place in the Australian Jockeys' Premiership, heads to Wyong on Sunday with four mounts and all four will carry plenty of the punters' money.

Bullock has ridden 69½ winners in less than six months of the current season. His best two mounts are for the Kris Lees stable and they line up in the first two races.

Lees’s former Victorian mare Zanzibar Gem ($3.50 equal favourite on TAB) has only had two starts for the Newcastle stable and she will be hard to beat in the opening event, Book Your Next Function at Wyong Race Club Class 1 Handicap (1100m).

Bullock rode her first-up at Muswellbrook on a Heavy 9 track on November 1 and she bolted in by 2.73 lengths. In her only other NSW start at Warwick Farm on January 4 Zanzibar Gem missed the start and stormed home to finish runner up 0.67 of a length from the winner Another Cognac.

Bullock then rides Lees’s short-priced favourite Brudenell ($2) in the Presilient-Managed IT Services Provincial Benchmark 64 Handicap (1000m). The 3yo has won two of his four starts and he was a dominant winner when an odds-on favourite at Tamworth last start on December 13.

The gelding's first-up run at Warwick Farm when beaten 1.2 lengths was full of merit. Bullock's other two mounts Red Cobra ($4) and Endorphins ($6 eq fav) both should run well.

The James Cummings-trained 3yo Competition ($2.50 fav) has bright prospects in the Gibbos Pies Maiden Plate (1600m). His last start was on this track on January 7 when he came from second last in a field of 13 at the ‘400’ to be beaten a length. Competition will appreciate the step up to the 1600m and third-up he will be at his top. The gelding draws soft and Mitchell Bell has the mount.

RACE 1, BOOK YOUR NEXT FUNCTION AT WYONG RACE CLUB CLASS 1 HANDICAP, 1100m: Former Victorian Zanzibar Gem ($3.50 eq fav) has been in great form since joining the Kris Lees stable and she is the one to beat. After an easy Muswellbrook win on November 1 the mare turned in an eye catcher when a fast finishing second at Warwick Farm on January 4. If Chipper ($3.50 eq fav) runs he will be hard to beat after his brilliant win on this track first-up. Justina ($3.60) won her only start and she trialled well recently.
SELECTIONS: 5 ZANZIBAR GEM, 2 CHIPPER, 6 JUSTINA

RACE 2, PRESILIENT-MANAGED IT SERVICES BENCHMARK 64 HANDICAP, 1000m: Zenti ($2.90) is very fast and he draws well in his first run on his home track. He won a Tamworth maiden by more than 7 lengths in August. He led all the way to win on the Beaumont Track last start. He has a positive barrier and will give them something to chase. Brudenell ($2 fav) is also quick and after a close fourth at Warwick Farm first-up he bolted in at Tamworth. Aspen Chase ($7) is well placed and has a chance.
SELECTIONS: 2 ZENTI, 5 BRUDENELL, 3 ASPEN CHASE

RACE 3, ABCOE CENTRAL COAST MAIDEN HANDICAP, 1350m: Red Cobra ($4) has been frustrating because of his slow starts but he is first-up here and Bullock rides for the first time. He resumes after a quiet trial and he has been placed in both starts on his home track. Edgewise ($4.20) resumes after a quiet trial and she has the rails barrier and has placed five times. Shigeru ($3 fav) was a close fourth at Muswellbrook on Monday and is a leader.
SELECTIONS: 1 RED COBRA, 8 EDGEWISE, 5 SHIGERU

RACE 4, BIDFOOD MAIDEN PLATE, 1100m: Time To Boogie ($4.40) is first-up and raced okay last prep. On debut he was a close second at Hawkesbury in April and he finished fourth on this track in September. He looked winning a recent Randwick trial. Boston City ($4.40) has been placed in three of his four starts and he trialled nicely at Rosehill recently. Miss Adamas ($3.90 fav) is quick and has been placed in both starts at Canterbury and Scone.
SELECTIONS: 5 TIME TO BOOGIE, 1 BOSTON CITY, 12 MISS ADAMAS

RACE 5, GIBBOS PIES MAIDEN PLATE 1600m: Competition's ($2.50 fav) second-up run at Wyong recently was full of merit. He came from second last in a field of 13 at the 400m and he was only beaten a length. He will appreciate the longer trip. Smartawi ($7.50) hasn’t been far away at Orange and the Beaumont track this preparation. Bridget Wenlock ($9) went okay first-up.
SELECTIONS: 3 COMPETITION, 7 SMARTAWI, 10 BRIDGET WENLOCK

RACE 6, COAST & COUNTRY MEATS WYONG BENCHMARK 64 HANDICAP, 1600m: Ausbred Bluebird ($5.50) had outstanding form over longer trips during the winter. She has had two recent quiet trials and she loves wet tracks. The 1600m is ideal first-up and Prebble rides. Crowned By Aces ($4 fav) wasn’t far away at Warwick Farm last start and Real Peace ($4.80) can improve.
SELECTIONS: 3 AUSBRED BLUEBIRD, 1 CROWNED BY ACES 4 REAL PEACE

RACE 7, WYONG’S NEXT RACE MEETING BJ HOWES METALAND RACE DAY BENCHMARK 64, 2100m: Fudai ($8.50) finished strong to win at Canterbury last start. He is a promising stayer and he will appreciate this longer trip. The rails barrier is a positive. Dragon Dream ($19) can improve now he is fitter and Endorphins ($6 eq fav) went well last start.
SELECTIONS: 1 FUDAI, 6 DRAGON DREAM, 4 ENDORPHINS

LATE MAIL
RACE 1
5 ZANZIBAR GEM – BOTH NSW STARTS VERY GOOD
2 CHIPPER – VERY FAST HARD TO BEAT
6 JUSTINA – NICE WIN ONLY START
1 OXFORD VISION – RUNNER UP BOTH STARTS HERE

RACE 2
2 ZENTI – VERY QUICK. 4 STARTS 2 WINS 2 PLACINGS
5 BRUDENELL – TALENTED. HAS GOOD RECORD
3 ASPEN CHASE – CAN IMPROVE HERE
1 BELIEBER – PLACE

RACE 3
11 RED COBRA – PLACED 3 FROM 6. HARD TO BEAT
8 EDGEWISE – 1ST UP. FORM LAST PREP OK
5 SHIGERU – FRONT RUNNER WITH A CHACNE
2 LORD BOB – LAST RUN OK

RACE 4
5 TIME TO BOOGIE – RESUMES. GOOD TRIAL WIN
1 BOSTON CITY – PLACED 3 FROM 4. BIG PLAYER
12 MISS ADAMAS – HAS FOOT ON THE TILL
13 MOONFLOWER – TRIALLING WELL

RACE 5
3 COMPETITION – PUT WRITING ON WALL LAST START
7 SMARTAWI – RACING WELL THIS PREP
10 BRIDGET WENLOCK – NO LUCK LAST START
11 CHOUILLY – PLACE

RACE 6
3 AUSBRED BLUEBIRD – WON LAST 2 BEFORE SPELL
1 CROWNED BY ACES – HAS GOOD FORM FOR THIS RACE
4 REAL PEACE – 1ST UP CITY FORM OK
7 BEL SUONO – COUNTRY FORM GOOD

RACE 7
1 FUNDAI – PROMISING STAYER IN TOP FORM
6 DRAGON DREAM – FORM GOOD ENOUGH
4 ENDORPHINS – JUST MISSED WARWICK FARM LAST START
5 CELESTIAL FURY – IN CAREER BEST FORM

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