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By Frances O'Shea

It’s been a long and frustrating wait for Kylie Gavenlock to get her promising mare Thrill Of Brazil ($4.80 on TAB) back to the track and now the weather could be against her.

The five-year-old returns to racing in the 1200m Provincial Maiden at Wyong on Thursday and Gavenlock is expecting her to run a “really nice race.”

But a heavy track could affect her chances, so the Gosford-based trainer is hoping predicted showers stay away.

Thrill of Brazil heads out with Andrew Gibbons aboard. Image by Bradley Photographers

“She has got a bit of ability and her trial on the Beaumont Track was good,” she said.”

"I think if the track is okay, she can run a really lovely race, but we will have to see.

“It’s been a long time getting her back and we are keen to see what she can do.”

The lightly raced daughter of Irish sire Territories has had just five starts and been placed twice at Provincial grade.

Following a fifth on the Beaumont Track in December 2022 Gavenlock decided to give her some time to mature but months stretched into more than year.

“She was very immature at the time and was picky with her eating. We decided to give her three months off and just three days before she was to come back into work, she split her back foot in half.

“We had to wait for the foot to grow down and that can be like a piece of string. There was nothing structurally wrong with her just the foot and it took a frustratingly long time to heal.”

Gavenlock said while Thrill To Brazil dominated her trial on a heavy Beaumont Track on January 5, she believes the track was more chopped up than rain-affected.

“I just don’t think she goes as well on rain-affected ground so it will be good if things dry out. I expect her to get out to the mile later this preparation.”

Thrill To Brazil is raced by long time stable supporter Kim Harding, and she will saddle up Diamond Drummer ($26) for another of her major clients Greg and Donna Kolivos.

The five-year-old resumes in the 1350m CG&E BM64 after having just one start for a win for the stable.

“Greg and Donna usually pass on their horses to me when they aren’t up to city class and Group or Listed races.

“He came to me in August last year and won first-up over 1850m. Obviously he’s a horse who gets over more ground but his two trials going into this have been quite nice.”

By I Am Invincible, the $120,000 yearling purchase, has had 15 starts for two wins and eight minor placings.

“I really like him and hopefully he has come up again. This is just a starting point for him, but I do expect him to run a nice race.”

The first of seven races gets underway at 1.10pm with the track currently rated a Slow 6.

SELECTIONS
Race 1 – 1.10pm: PBL LAW GROUP MIDWAY MAIDEN (1000m): 1 NIGHTCAPPED, 2 Yukan Rose, 3 Still Alice, 4 Lonhanova.
Race 2 – 1.50pm: DE BORTOLI WINES PROVINCIAL MAIDEN (1200m): 1 NORTON ROAD, 2 Shigeru, 3 Fugitiva, 4 Thrill Of Brazil.
Race 3 – 2.25pm: SKY CHANNEL SUPER MAIDEN (1600m): 1IRISH ANTHEM, 2 Denote, 3 Late Night Talking, 4 Noble Tess.
Race 4 – 3.05pm: TABCORP F&M BENCHMARK 64 (1100m): 1 COSMANOVA, 2 Tidal Impact, 3 Orthie’s Girls, 4 Flying Shelly.
Race 5 – 3.40pm: CARLTON & UNITED BREWERIES CLASS 1 (1200m): 1 COSTA SMERALDA, 2 Diamond Lucy, 3 Eagledge, 4 Externus.
Race 6 – 4.20pm: GO ELECTRICAL F&M BENCHMARK 64 (1350m): 1 LADY BOSS, 2 Linguee, 3 Lady Soames, 4 Mischief In Dubai.
Race 7 – 4.55pm: WYONG LEAGUES GROUP CG&E BENCHMARK 64 (1350m): 1 KATSUMOTO, 2 Carpaccio, 3 King’s Duty, 4 Accuse.

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