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By Gary Harley

Newcastle trainer Sam Kavanagh is hoping that his talented import Wrathful ($3.50 favourite on TAB) can kick off an important three days for his stable when he resumes from a spell in the Kim Waugh Racing Midway Benchmark 68 Handicap (1350m) at the Wyong meeting on Thursday.

On Saturday Kavanagh will saddle up Kayobi who is $4 favourite on TAB for Saturdays $500,000 Polytrack Provincial-Midway Championships Final on Day 2 of The Star Championships at Royal Randwick.

Wrathful, bred in Great Britain, was purchased by Kavanagh unraced from an online sale in Ireland. He debuted in Australia with a slashing fourth at Warwick Farm in October. Second-up he hit the line hard to win a 1400m Newcastle maiden 10 days later. In his only other Australian start Wrathful bolted in with a 1500m Newcastle Class 1.

He has had two recent quiet trials and NSW Jockeys' Premiership leader Aaron Bullock has the mount. The four-year-old has won two races on soft tracks.

The speedy Cappelletti ($4.20 fav) has returned from a spell in devastating form and despite an adverse barrier he is the one to beat in the final event, the Wyong’s Next Race Meeting Thursday April 20, 2023 Benchmark 64 Handicap (1100m). Then 3yo speedster is trained by Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou and Tim Clark will again have the mount after being aboard in both starts this prep.

Cappelletti was most unlucky at Gosford first-up when in trouble at the start before circling the field and storming home to be beaten 1.31 lengths. Last start again at Gosford Cappelletti led by five lengths on the turn and Clark eased him down to win by 1½-lengths.

RACE 1, WYONG TRAINERS-CONTRIBUTING MORE THAN JUST WINNERS MDN HANDICAP, 1000m: Gilmore ($2.60 fav) has good form and has a positive barrier. In June on wet tracks she was beaten just over a length at Randwick and Canterbury. First-up on March 23 the filly was trapped three-wide no cover at Hawkesbury when a distant second. Sumo Star ($3.70) has been narrowly beaten in two starts this prep and first starter, while Helpisonitsway ($7.50) was an easy recent trial winner.
SELECTIONS: 4 GILMORE, 1 SUMO STAR, 8 HELPISONITSWAY

RACE 2, SARA RYAN RACING MAIDEN PLATE, 1350m: Skylight Song ($2.60 fav) resumes from a spell after a good prep in the spring. He was runner-up at Canterbury, Kembla and on the Kensington Track in October and November. He wasn’t beaten far in a recent trial. Gulf of Panama ($3.10) will run well after being placed at Hawkesbury second-up. Twilight Rock ($11) was a close second at Goulburn last start.
SELECTIONS: 3 SKYLIGHT SONG, 1 GULF OF PANAMA, 5 TWILIGHT ROCK

RACE 3, ALLAN KEHOE RACING PROVINCIAL MAIDEN HANDICAP, 1350m: Beetson ($5.50) produced a career best run when a close second on the Beaumont Track on March 21. He will be fitter this time and he will appreciate the longer trip. Single Shot ($8) won a string of trials before a first-up failure at Scone. He will perform better on his home track. United Front ($11) was well backed when he raced greenly on debut.
SELECTIONS: 5 BEETSON, 2 SINGLE SHOT, 3 UNITED FRONT

RACE 4, TRACEY BARTLEY RACING MAIDEN PLATE, 2100m: Aunt Roberta ($2.30 fav) is a promising stayer which put the writing on the wall last start when beaten half a length over 1800m at Hawkesbury. She should have a cosy run from the good barrier and she will appreciate the longer trip. Itsagooddeel ($4.60) is racing well and Rapid Impact ($7) has placed three of last four.
SELECTIONS: 9 AUNT ROBERTA, 6 ITSAGOODDEEL, 3 RAPID IMPACT

RACE 5 DAMIEN LANE RACING CLASS 1 HANDICAP, 1600m: By Nine ($6) is ready to win after a close second at Hawkesbury last start. He was held up in the straight and was only beaten 0.31 of a length. Eleven months ago he won over 1800m in April. He has an attractive barrier. Street Gossip ($3.20 fav) hasn’t been far away in three appearances this prep and she has the rails draw. Xtrarevz ($6) resumes after a win and three seconds last prep.
SELECTIONS: 2 BY NINE, 4 STREET GOSSIP, 1 XTRAREVZ

RACE 6, KRISTEN BUCHANAN OWNERS LOUNGE CLASS 1, 1350m: Warby ($4.80) stormed home to win at Hawkesbury second-up recently. He also went well first-up at Warwick Farm. Jovita ($6) looked good winning at Newcastle on debut. King Adviso ($8 into $5.50) has been well-tried and will be fitter for one run back.
SELECTIONS: 3 WARBY, 9 JOVITA, 2 KING ADVISO

RACE 7, KIM WAUGH RACING MIDWAY BENCHMARK 68 HANDICAP, 1350m: Wrathful ($3.50 fav) has only had three Australian starts and he has impressed in all three. The import was an impressive fourth first-up at Warwick Farm in October. He won his subsequent two starts at Newcastle before a spell. He has had two quiet trials recently. The Empire ($5) was narrowly beaten at Hawkesbury last start and he was placed at Canterbury in February. Peace Officer ($6.50) comes off a first-up win.
SELECTIONS: 3 WRATHFUL, 1 THE EMPIRE, 6 PEACE OFFICER

RACE 8, WYONG’S NEXT RACE MEETING APRIL 20, 2023 BENCHMARK 64 HANDICAP, 1100m: Cappelletti ($4.20 fav) is a very fast horse and he ran the opposition into the ground last start at Gosford. He was a ‘good thing’ beaten again at Gosford first-up. Forms of Fear ($5.50) trialled nicely while Passistas ($7) had good form last year.
SELECTIONS: 7 CAPPELLETTI, 2 FORMS OF FEAR, 5 PASSISTAS

LATE MAIL
RACE 1
4 GILMORE – NO LUCK 1ST UP
1 SUMO STAR – RUNNER UP LAST 2
8 HELPISONITSWAY – 1ST START. EASY TRIAL WIN
7 ALEGNA – CLOSE UP LAST 2

RACE 2
3 SKYLIGHT SONG – 1ST UP 3 2NDS LAST PREP
1 GULF OF PANAMA – UNLUCKY LAST START
5 TWILIGHT ROCK – NAILED LATE LAST RUN
8 MATRONYMIC – PLACE

RACE 3
5 BEETSON – JUST MISSED LAST START
2 SINGLE SHOT – CAN IMPROVE ON 1ST UP RUN
3 UNITED FRONT – DIDN’T FIRE 1ST UP
9 YAMBA’S AWARD – NOT FAR AWAY 1ST UP

RACE 4
9 AUNT ROBERTA – PROMISING STAYER. HARD TO BEAT.
6 ITSAGOODDEEL – PLACED SHORTER TRIP LAST START
3 RAPID IMPACT – PLACED 3 OF LAST 4
2 BATTALION – IMPROVEMENT EXPECTED

RACE 5
2 BY NINE – PUT WRITING ON THE WALL LAST RUN
4 STREET GOSSIP – THIS TRIP SUITS
1 XTRAREVZ – A WIN 2 2NDS BEFORE SPELL
3 SIZZLER – FORM GOOD ENOUGH

RACE 6
3 WARBY – HUGE HAWKESBURY WIN
9 JOVITA – VERY QUICK. WELL PLACED
2 KING ADVISO – FITTER FOR ONE RUN BACK
4 LEHNDORFF – 1ST UP NICE TRAIL

RACE 7
3 WRATHFUL – VERY SMART. WON 2 OF 3
1 THE EMPRE – IMPRESSIVE RUN LAST START
6 PEACE OFFICER – BIG WIN AT HAWKESBURY
7 SURFERS ROYALE – SOLID FORM BEFORE SPELL

RACE 8
7 CAPPELLETTI – VERY QUICK & IN FORM
2 FORMS OF FEAR – NICE TRIAL WIN
5 PASSISTAS – GOOD FORM LATE LAST YEAR
9 TWITCH – IMPROVED BY ONE RUN BACK

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