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By Gary Harley

The last of the Polytrack Provincial Championships Qualifiers will be run at Wyong on Saturday and as has been the case in the other four qualifiers, the Wyong race is a cracker. All three placegetters on Saturday qualify for the $500,000 Final at Randwick on April 13.

Leading provincial trainers Kim Waugh and Kris Lees have already qualified two each for the Final and the pair could have more after Saturday. Waugh will saddle up the well-credentialed Fuchu ($13 on TAB fixed odds) while Lees has accepted with Turnberry ($10), Fuji Fury ($16), Waruna ($12) and emergency Road To Heaven ($12).

Fuchu is the one to beat following his fast-finishing fourth behind Archedemus in the Newcastle Qualifier. Topweight Turnberry which finished alongside Fuchu at Newcastle is a big player, while Bobbing ($5) has a very good record and Sheriff ($4.80 favourite) is a recent Rosehill winner.

RACE 1, SERVERS AUSTRALIA MAIDEN (1350M): Word For Word is a class above this field on form. The filly has been placed in all three starts at Canterbury, Kensington and Warwick Farm. She hasn’t raced since going down by head to Cossetot at Canterbury in January. Word For Word bolted in with a recent Warwick Farm trial. Charged Flame and Lexi’s Choice have place chances.
SELECTIONS: 1 WORD FOR WORD 3 CHARGED FLAME 7 LEXI’S CHOICE

RACE 2, HALEKULANI BOWLING CLUB MAIDEN PLATE (1600M): Former Victorian Elgin has been costly in three starts since joining the Lees stable but this is a winnable race for the four-year-old. Elgin has started favourite in two of his three starts on Newcastle tracks and he has been placed in his past two. Lady Lucienne has been runner up in her past two starts at Kembla and she has drawn well. Costa Zou will be fitter after a strong first-up third at Kembla.
SELECTIONS: 1 ELGIN, 8 LADY LUCIENNE, 2 COSTA ZOU

RACE 3, LAKES PODIATRY 2YO MAIDEN PLATE (1200M): Chia has solid metropolitan form and she has come up with the coveted rails barrier. After a first-up placing at Canterbury in October she was run down late by Golden Slipper winner Kiamichi at Rosehill in November. Chia found the 1000 metres too short when a strong finishing fifth at Warwick Farm first up at March 14. Dolci was only beaten three lengths by Pin Sec on debut at Randwick on Boxing Day and she hasn’t been seen since. Anethole was only 2.8 lengths behind Cosmic Force in his only start at Newcastle in November.
SELECTIONS: 7 CHIA, 8 DOLCI, 1 ANETHOLE

RACE 4, LAKE MACQUARIE SHEET METAL CLASS 2 (1600M): Soldier Of Love has won two of his three starts and he is drawn to get a nice trail. He came from midfield on the turn when an impressive winner at Newcastle last start. Onthetake has found her best form and she will be hard to hold out. Faith In Kind is in good form and he is well weighted after the claim.
SELECTIONS: 3 SOLDIER OF LOVE, 2 ONTHETAKE, 1 FAITH IN KIND

RACE 5, MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES AIR CONDITIONING MAIDEN (1100M): Jaytees is a speedy three-year-old and he drops in class here. He was runner-up to the smart Sir Owen over 1200 here last start after leading to the closing stages. The shorter trip is in his favour. Bondi Boy and Angevin will be hard to beat.
SELECTIONS: 3 JAYTEES, 4 BONDI BOY, 11 ANGEVIN

RACE 6, VIETNAM VETERANS KEITH PAYNE VC HOSTEL CLASS 1 (1350M): City Of Love resumed with a dominant win at Newcastle three weeks back. She races well on this track where she has been placed in three of her four starts. The mare should race handy from the rails barrier. Continuation is first up and he was a last start Tamworth winner before a spell. Vendella led all the way to win first up in Australia at Newcastle three weeks ago.
SELECTIONS: 3 CITY OF LOVE, 5 CONTINUATION, 2 VENDELLA

RACE 7, TWIN LAKES AIR & SOLAR CONDITIONAL B/M 70 (1100M): Port Macquarie mare Shelly Beach Road is well weighted after promising apprentice Cejay Graham’s 3 kilogram claim. She has a good record on the mid north coast and the last time she ventured to the provincials Shelly Beach Road was beaten a nose in a strong race at Newcastle in December. Rare Episode is very quick and he has a fine record. Golden Comet was narrowly beaten by Shelly Beach Road last start and he won’t be far away.
SELECTIONS: 2 SHELLY BEACH ROAD, 3 RARE EPISODE, 4 GOLDEN COMET

RACE 8, POLYTRACK WYONG PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS QUALIFIER (1350M): Fuchu has outstanding credentials for this race. He won three ‘on the trot’ in December-January at Newcastle, Wyong and Kensington. After a Beaumont trial win, he came from way back to finish 1.31 lengths behind Archedemus in the Newcastle Qualifier three week ago. Turnberry finished alongside Fuchu at Newcastle and he has outstanding metropolitan Saturday form. Bobbing has a great record, 4 wins and 3 seconds from 8 starts. He is unbeaten in two Wyong starts.
SELECTIONS: 3 FUCHU, 1 TURNBERRY, 2 BOBBING

GARY HARLEY'S LATE MAIL
RACE 1
1 WORD FOR WORD – CLASS ABOVE
3 CHARGED FLAME – FITTER NOW. 2ND BEST
7 LEXI’S CHOICE – MADE GOOD GROUND LAST START
8 LOVING HEART – PLACE

RACE 2
1 ELGIN - KNOCKING ON THE DOOR
8 LADY LUCIENNE – FORM HARD TO FAULT
2 COSTA ZOU – 1ST UP RUN ENCOURAGING
7 DANAE – SUITABLE TRIP THIS TIME

RACE 3
7 CHIA – BEATEN ½ LENGTH BY KIAMICHI IN NOV
8 DOLCI – BIT STIFF LAST START
1 ANETHOLE -CLOSE UP CLASSY RACE ONLY START
2 BANDERSNATCH – GOOD TRIAL WIN

RACE 4
3 SOLDIER OF LOVE – IS FLYING. HAT TRICK POSSIBLE
2 ONTHETAKE – BACK IN FORM. BIG CHANCE
1 FAITH IN KIND – ALWAYS PUTS IN
4 EVERARD – BIG WATCH. NOT FAR AWAY GROUP 3 LAST PREP

RACE 5
3 JAYTEES – HAS FOOT ON THE TILL
4 BONDI BOY – TRIAL FORM OK. IS A PLAYER
11 ANGEVIN – GETS BLINKERS. WILL IMPROVE
1 ULTIMATE POWER – NO LUCK LAST START

RACE 6
3 CITY OF LOVE – CAME FROM LAST TO WIN 1ST UP
5 CONTINUATION – COUNTRY FORM GOOD
2 VENDELLA – KIWI IMPRESSIVE 1ST UP
6 SHARK ALLEY – PLACE

RACE 7
2 SHELLY BEACH ROAD – SMART MARE IN FORM
3 RARE EPISODE – VERY FAST. HAS GOOD RECORD
4 GOLDEN COMET – LAST RUN AN EYE CATCHER
9 TONY’S REWARD – GOOD COUNTRY FORM

RACE 8
3 FUCHU – 3 WINS FROM LAST 4. BIG RUN LAST START
1 TURNBERRY – HAS TERRIFIC RECORD
2 BOBBING – 4 WINS 3 2NDS 8 STARTS SPEAKS FOR ITS SELF
8 SHERIFF – ANOTHER WITH FINE RECORD