By Frances O'Shea
With Christmas fast approaching Wyong’s Denim Wynen would love to celebrate with a home track win or two.
The young trainer, and mother to two, has three good chances heading into the club’s Saturday meeting.
“I’m probably most excited to see Emphatic Bel back at the track,” Wynen said.
“She had an operation to remove chips from her knees after her Wyong win in June and she seems to have come back a lot stronger.”
The Belardo mare starts in the Class 1 over 1000m, coming off an impressive trial at Wyong on December 15.
She blitzed her opposition by more than five lengths in good time.
“I expected her to trial well but not as well as she did and against pretty good opposition.
She’s a funny sort of horse and see’s ghosts when she’s working on her own, shying at nothing.
“Put her with a mate or in a race and she really gets her mind on the job.”
Wynen said she would step Emphatic Bel up to 1350m this preparation.
“When she was with David Payne, they were trying to get her to stay but she likes to go forward, and I think she’s more of a sprinter.
“She has a high cruising speed but if we can get her to settle, she will hopefully run up to 1350m.
“Anna Roper has been riding her work and she will ride her on Saturday.”
Roper is also aboard Obvious Step, raced by the same ownership group. The six-year-old daughter of Sidestep drops back in grade, lining up in the 1600m Provincial BM64.
“She got smashed at Warwick Farm last start, but it was still a pretty good run. That was over 1400m, and I think she will appreciate getting over more ground.
“She has won over a mile before she came to me and the way she worked on Tuesday I think she’s in for a good run.”
And while Wynen’s owners will be on track on Saturday, she probably feels the most pressure from her third runner Magic Stella.
“She’s owned by my partner Reece Partington,” Wynen said. “If she can win it will be a nice Christmas present for us.
“She is up to 1350m on Saturday, and I can’t wait to see her over more ground. We will hold her up and hopefully she can find the line. The sting out of the ground will also help.”
The three-year-old Grunt filly will be ridden by Lee McGorrian in the 1350m Class 1.
“It’s been flat out lately with the kids, Eli (10yo) and Indi (7yo) on holidays, along with the horses and Christmas. It will be all worthwhile if we can get a winner.”
The first of seven races gets underway at 1.25pm.
SELECTIONS
Race 1 - 1.25pm: WYONG EQUINE CLINIC CONDITIONAL BM68 (1200m): 1 THE KING, 2 Akaka Falls, 3 Don Pedro, 4 Surfers Royale.
Race 2 – 2.00pm: DE BORTOLI WINES PROVINCIAL BM64 (1600m): 1 BOOMINARTIE, 2 Bak Da Man, 3 Socrates, 4 Dresden.
Race 3 – 2.35pm: CARLTON & UNITED BREWERIES 4YO & UP MIADEN (1300m): 1 GIVE ME JOY, 2 Beach Party, 3 Bobby’s Fling, 4 Beauty Bound.
Race 4 – 3.10pm: TABCORP CLASS 1 (1000m): 1 EMPHATIC BEL, 2 Coco Dreaming, 3 Ringdembells, 4 Willingale.
Race 5 – 3.45pm: SKY CHANNEL SUPER 4YO & UP MAIDEN (1100m): 1 ZARAGOZA, 2 Hawkwind, 3 Ausbred Mimosa, 4 Fruiting Habit.
Race 6 – 4.25pm: RYAN’S METAL ROOFING MIDWAY 3YO MAIDEN (1100m): 1 TOYGER, 2 Edited By, 3 Taxpayer, 4 Dayu.
Race 7 – 5.05pm: WYONG LEAGUES GROUP CLASS 1 (1350m): 1 LADY BOSS, 2 Pogacar, 3 Turbulent, 4 Little Cointreau.
View the final fields with full form & race replays for Wyong here