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By Gary Harley

The two-day 2018 Wyong Cup Carnival kicks off on Sunday with the popular ‘Ladies Day Out’ Raceday. The feature race is the Travel Associates Erina Wyong Cup Prelude (2100m).

Kris Lees has a strong hand in the race with recent Taree Cup Placegetter Dubaiinstyle and Go Benny. Second-up from a nine-week freshen up, Dubaiinstyle was on the speed all the way in the Taree Cup and he chased hard to go down by two lengths.

The six-year-old will be fitter this time and he drops in class on Sunday. Go Benny indicated he was ready to win with a strong finishing third in the 1600 metre Taree Cup Prelude on August 9.

RACE 1 (FRESH-R CLASS 1 HANDICAP, 1600M): Homework followed up placings at Warwick Farm and Hawkesbury with an all-the-way win at Newcastle on August 16. He is expected to lead from the soft draw and he will be hard to run down around Wyong. Joy For Us was slow out and settled last when a distant second behind the impressive Sunreel at Newcastle last start. Shadow Prince was a close third at Taree last start.
SELECTIONS: 1 HOMEWORK, 3 JOY FOR US, 5 SHADOW PRINCE

RACE 2 (WYONG PRODUCE & FARM SUPPLIES MAIDEN PLATE, 1600M): Madame Markievicz was narrowly beaten first-up at Newcastle on August 8. She hit the front at the ‘200’ and was nailed late. The mare had creditable metropolitan form last prep and she is well-placed here. Seeingisbelieving was held up a couple of times when beaten 1½ lengths at Newcastle on August 16 and the longer trip is ideal. Elaborate has been placed in his two country starts this prep and he could fill a place.
SELECTIONS: 6 MADAME MARKIEVICZ, 3 SEEINGISBELIEVING, 10 ELABORATE

RACE 3 (REMEMBERING MURRAY DOYLE MAIDEN PLATE, 1350M): Le Lude has been crying out for this trip and she has come up with the rails barrier. The filly has raced twice and has been beaten three-quarters of a length at Warwick Farm and Canterbury recently. She is a strong finisher and is well-weighted. Come Along raced keen early when a solid second at Kembla on August 4 and has drawn OK. Rivalry had no luck on debut at Newcastle.
SELECTIONS: 6 LE LUDE, 1 COME ALONG, 2 RIVALRY

RACE 4 (TRAVEL ASSOCIATES ERINA WYONG CUP PRELUDE, 2100M): Dubaiinstyle put the writing on the wall with a solid third in the recent Taree Cup. He was close up two starts back at Warwick Farm and he is ready to run a strong 2100m. This is a drop in class and he can overcome a huge rise in weight. Go Benny has his foot on the till after a strong finish into second place at Taree recently and the longer trip is ideal. Allez Bien goes to a suitable distance and can improve.
SELECTIONS: 1 DUBAIINSTYLE, 3 GO BENNY, 2 ALLEZ BIEN

RACE 5 (THE ROYAL HOTEL WYONG BENCHMARK 64, 1000M): Omar was heavily backed when he bolted in first-up at Kembla on August 9. He led all the way and ran away in the straight. The 3yo looks an ideal type for the ‘1000’ around Wyong. Rastafarian was never on the track when a game second at Newcastle last start. He will benefit from the 3kg claim. Red Chandelier was unlucky when a close second at Gosford in March and she has had two recent trials.
SELECTIONS: 4 OMAR, 1 RASTAFARIAN, 3 RED CHANDELIER

RACE 6 (STAR 104.5 BENCHMARK 64, 1350M): Lady I Am is in career best form and this is a lovely race for the mare. She was an impressive winner on this track three starts back and followed up with a solid placing at Warwick Farm. She was stiff last at Canterbury when she never had a clear run in the straight. Spring Creek Star has been placed in four of his past five starts and should run well. Cool And Neat was slow out and was held up when a close fourth at Gosford and he has a chance.
SELECTIONS: 5 LADY I AM, 7 SPRING STAR CREEK, 8 COOL AND NEAT

RACE 7 (CARLTON DRAUGHT WYONG GOLD CUP AUGUST 31 MAIDEN, 1100M): Pretty Songs two starts have resulted in impressive placings at Nowra and Wyong. At Wyong on August 3 the mare was only beaten half a length by So Bizarre. She has drawn well and can race on the speed. Directory has been racing well at Newcastle with placings at her past two starts. The mare has been strong late in shorter races. Neruda resumes and was runner-up in his only start on this track.
SELECTIONS: 7 PRETTY SONG, 10 DIRECTORY, 3 NERUDA

GARY HARLEY'S LATE MAIL
RACE 1
1 HOMEWORK – LED ALL WAY LAST START. TAKE CATCHING
3 JOY FOR US – NO LUCK LAST RUN
5 SHADOW PRINCE – BIG IMPROVEMENT LAST TIME
6 ELABORATE – NEVER FAR AWAY

RACE 2
6 MADAME MARKIEVICZ – HAS BEST FORM
3 SEEINGISBELIEVING – LONGER TRIP SUITS
10 ELABORATE – NEVER FAR AWAY
8 TAKE TIME TO CHILL – PLACE

RACE 3
6 LE LUDE – METRO RUNS GOOD ENOUGH
1 COME ALONG – JUST MISSED LAST START
2 RIVALRY – WENT OK ON DEBUT
8 TIMID – DOWN IN CLASS

RACE 4
1 DUBAIINSTYLE – HAS FOOT ON TILL
3 GO BENNY – READY TO WIN AFTER LAST EFFORT
2 ALLEZ BIEN – BIG PLAYER ON BEST FORM
4 MOMENTUM TO WIN – PLACE

RACE 5
4 OMAR – SPEEDY. NEVER HEADED LAST START
1 RASTAFARIAN – FORM HARD TO FAULT
3 RED CHANDELIER – HAS GOOD 1ST UP RECORD
5 SECOND ISLAND – COUNTRY FORM GOOD

RACE 6
5 LADY I AM – RECENT WINNER HERE. NO LUCK LAST RUN
7 SPRING CREEK STAR - ALWAYS THEREABOUTS
8 COOL AND NEAT – BACK FROM HONG KONG, OK 1ST UP
1 COSMOLOGIST – TALENTED. 1ST RUN NEW STABLE

RACE 7
7 PRETTY SONG – IMPRESSIVE BOTH STARTS
10 DIRECTORY – HAS GOOD RECENT N’CLE FORM
3 NERUDA – 1ST UP. CAN WIN ON BEST FORM
4 TIKKITALA – TRIALLING WELL

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