Latest News

By Gary Harley

Consistent Hawkesbury gelding Irish Anthem ($4.40 on TAB) should be rewarded with a break through win in the Sky Channel Super Maiden (1600m) at the Wyong Race Club meeting on Thursday.

The four-year-old has been placed in four of six starts and he has been placed in both starts this preparation less than a length from the winner.

Irish Anthem carried 59kg last start at Randwick on Boxing Day when runner-up by 0.94 of a length from the winner. The performance was full of merit as he raced worse than midfield before sprinting quickly at the top of the straight to share the lead at the 300m.

First-up at Hawkesbury on December 10 he again carried 59kg when beaten a half length. He has raced well on rain-affected going and Irish Anthem's husband and wife trainers Jason and Lucy Keegan-Attard are in form winning two metropolitan races with Luvoir during December.

Rachel King has ridden Irish Anthem in both recent starts and Rory Hutchings rides on Thursday.

Newcastle filly Nightcapped ($2.90 equal favourite), with the benefit of two recent trials, is ready to win first-up from a spell in the opening event the PBL Law Group Midway Maiden Handicap (1000m). The 3yo is part-owned by Sydney’s leading racecaller Darren Flindell and trained by Nathan Doyle who is enjoying another successful season with 31 winners to date.

Nightcapped has only had the one start and that was at Newcastle on May 30 when a strong finishing third 0.64 of a length from the winner on a Soft 5 track. The filly had a good hit out in a recent Beaumont Track trial when she dashed clear in the straight only to be run down late. She has drawn okay and Lee Magorrian has the mount.

Randwick trainer Micheal Freedman will send unbeaten 4yo Katsumoto ($2.30 fav) to Wyong to contest the Wyong Leagues Group Benchmark 64 Handicap (1350m).

The Kiwi-bred gelding has started a short-priced favourite in his only two starts both at Kembla. On debut on December 14 on a Good 4 track he led from the 400m to win by less than a length.

Last start on January 3 on a Heavy 9 he was a $1.40 favourite when he raced on the speed and won by a half a length. Katsumoto is raced by 'My Racehorse' has been ridden by Tommy Berry in both starts and he has the one ride Thursday.

Freedman is a good supporter of Wyong where he has such a good strike rate. He won the recent Wyong 2YO Magic Millions Classic with Highness which was runner-up in the Gold Coast Magic Millions last Saturday.

Talented apprentice Zac Wadick’s 3kg claim could see Star Impact ($6) back in winning form in the Go Electrical Fillies and Mares Benchmark 64 Handicap (1350m). A winner on a Wyong Soft 6 track in June, the mare was narrowly beaten first-up on this track on December 13. Last start at Canterbury on January 5 Star Impact was only beaten 1.74 lengths and she is an on-speed runner.

RACE 1, PBL LAW GROUP MIDWAY MAIDEN, 1000m: Nightcapped ($2.90 eq fav) has only had one start and that was at Newcastle in May when she ran on strong for a close third over 900m. She has had two recent trials and in her last trial on the Beaumont Track she sat outside the leader before dashing clear in the straight only to be run down late. Still Alice ($2.90 eq fav) had to work hard three-wide no cover when third in her only start at Gosford on New Year's Eve and she should run well. Yukan Rose ($4) is capable of improvement.
SELECTIONS: 2 NIGHTCAPPED, 3 STILL ALICE, 9 YUKAM ROSE

RACE 2, DE BORTOLI WINES PROVINCIAL MAIDEN, 1200m: Shigeru ($3.80) is fitter after a close second first-up at Taree recently. That was his first run for nearly 12 months and before a spell he was narrowly beaten on a heavy track at Wyong. He has been placed in five of eight starts and is an on-pacer. Norton Road ($2.90 fav) is on debut after an easy Rosehill trial win and boom apprentice Anna Roper has the mount. Fugitiva ($5.50) has been racing well at Kembla.
SELECTIONS: 1 SHIGERU, 1 NORTON ROAD, 4 FUGITIVA

RACE 3, SKY CHANNEL SUPER MAIDEN, 1600m: Irish Anthem ($4.40) has put the writing on the wall with two impressive placings in both starts this preparation. Last start with 59kg on his back he was narrowly beaten over the Randwick mile on a Soft 6 after racing worse than midfield to the turn before being set alight on the turn. He has been placed in four of six starts but needs luck from this barrier. Dressel ($4 fav) was placed at Newcastle and Kembla last prep and was solid first-up on the Beaumont Track. Oakfield Zena ($14) has led in her past two starts when placed at Kembla and Tamworth.
SELECTIONS: 1 IRISH ANTHEM, 2 DRESSEL, 5 OAKFIELD ZENA

RACE 4, TABCORP F&M BENCHMARK 64, 1100m: The Black Cloud ($1.70 fav) from the Joe Pride stable led all the way and bolted in on debut at Gosford on December 28. Her trial form leading up to the race was outstanding and she has the perfect barrier. Tidal Impact ($9) found form for the first time in ages when runner-up in a fast race at Gosford on December 28. The mare has speed, draws near the rail and Bullock rides. Cosmonova ($5) was very impressive in winning her only start at Gosford on December 21.
SELECTIONS: 5 THE BLACK CLOUD, 3 TIDAL IMPACT, 6 COSMONOVA

RACE 5, CARLTON & UNITED BREWERIES CLASS 1, 1200m: Man In The Mirror ($7) is a Group 2 placegetter but has not raced since September 2022. He was a runner-up three quarters of a length from the winner in the 2022 VRC Sires' in March that year, however, he has had problems. He looked good in a recent Warwick Farm trial win and the engagement of gun apprentice Jet Stanley reduces his impost from 63kg to 61kg. Externus ($7.50) led all the way to win first-up at Gosford and Costa Smeralda ($3.50 fav) was a winner on debut at Wyong on December 23.
SELECTIONS: 1 MAN IN THE MIRROR, 3 EXTERNUS, 7 COSTA SMERALDA

RACE 6, GO ELECTRICAL F&M BENCHMARK 64, 1350m: Star Impact ($6) is racing well enough to win this race with the claim for the talented apprentice. She was a winner on this track in June and the mare just missed on this track first-up on December 13. Last start Star Impact was beaten 1.74 lengths at the Canterbury night meeting on January 5. Lady Boss ($3.80 fav) is unbeaten in two starts at Canberra and the Beaumont Track and she is quick and has Dylan Gibbons from a positive barrier. Lady Soames ($5.50) looks good winning first-up at Coffs Harbour.
SELECTIONS: 1 STAR IMPACT, 3 LADY BOSS, 4 LADY SOAMES

RACE 7, WYONG LEAGUES GROUP BENCHMARK 64, 1350m: Katsumoto ($2.30 fav) is unbeaten in two starts and Tommy Berry who has ridden him in both wins has the mount and is his only ride. He has raced on the speed in both wins at Kembla but the Kiwi-bred 4yo is up in class here. King’s Duty ($8) is hard to catch, however, first-up recently he was beaten a neck by Sydney Bowler on the Beaumont Track. Carpaccio ($5.50) was impressive winning on debut.
SELECTIONS: 5 KATSUMOTO, 10 KING’S DUTY, 12 CARPACCIO

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