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By Gary Harley

Comeback jockey James McDonald will ride at Wyong on Thursday for the first time in more than 18 months. One of Australia’s best before his suspension, McDonald has four rides - two for Chris Waller, and one for Peter & Paul Snowden, and one for Kris Lees.

In race 2 the former Kiwi rides Waller's New Zealand bred three-year-old McMahon, a first starter. The grey made up good ground in the closing stages of a recent 900m Rosehill trial. In race 3 McDonald hops aboard another Waller runner, Raw Emotion. He has been disappointing this campaign but a sharp improvement won’t surprise.

Two-year-old colt King’s Trust was narrowly beaten at Gosford last start is McDonald's ride for the Snowdens in race 7. And Kandy, a good thing beaten at Port Macquarie last start, rounds off the day for McDonald in the final event.

RACE 1 (www.tab.com.au MAIDEN, 1600m): Dossier was disappointing in his only two race starts in July last year. However, he has since been gelded and he trialled nicely behind Tangled in a recent Randwick trial. Got The Tickets is on a quick back up after a close fourth at Cessnock on Monday and she cannot be underestimated. Sugarland Express has been placed in six starts and could place again.
SELECTIONS: 1 DOSSIER, 3 GOT THE TICKETS, 6 SUGARLAND EXPRESS

RACE 2 (GREAT NORTHERN ON TAP MAIDEN, 1350m): Erudition was runner-up to Desert Lord in her only start on this track a month ago. The filly ran home nicely under a hold in a recent Randwick trial and she is ready to win. McMahon is on debut after a respectable Rosehill trial and he will be strong late. Sun and Heir is in good form and should run well again.
SELECTIONS: 5 ERUDITION, 1 McMAHON, 2 SUN AND HEIR

RACE 3 (WYONG RACE SATURDAY JULY 14-BOOK NOW CLASS 1 & MAIDEN, 2100m): This is a strong race with four good chances. Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott train two of the favourites and both have sound credentials. Diamond Star Halo’s last start performance at Gosford was outstanding. She conceded the winner High Dude a huge start from the 1000 and went down by a nose. Princess Mia was taken on in front when midfield at Randwick last start and the smaller track is ideal. Only Tiger is ultra-consistent and could fill a place again.
SELECTIONS: 7 DIAMOND STAR HALO, 4 PRINCESS MIA, 1 ONLY TIGER

RACE 4 (CARLTON DRAUGHT WYONG GOLD CUP FRIDAY AUGUST 31 MAIDEN, 1100m): Vainity was very disappointing when an unplaced favourite at Kembla last start. However, she won two trials impressively prior to that run and the filly was placed at Randwick on Boxing Day. Fine Behind has placed in two of her past three starts and has a chance. Sparkling Facet is a fast filly and should lead from the rails barrier.
SELECTIONS: 3 VAINITY, 7 FINE BEHIND, 1 SPARKLING FACET

RACE 5 (LADIES DAY SUNDAY AUGUST 26 BM 60, 1100m): Former Kiwi Bombarding is making his Australia debut and he has looked good in two recent trials. In a strong trial field the gelding was not off the bit when close up behind Redouble and Prompt Response in a recent Rosehill trial. Mr Tindall is knocking on the door after two recent placings. The Brown One has speed and could fill a place.
SELECTIONS: 3 BOMBARDING, 2 MR TINDALL, 4 THE BROWN ONE

RACE 6 (MEMBERSHIP AT WYONG ONLY $55 CLASS 2, 1350m): Impavido was placed in good Randwick fields last preparation. His only win was when he was first-up and he is first-up on Thursday. He hasn’t been extended in recent trials. Final Frontier was a winner on this track two starts back and he raced keenly at Warwick Farm last start. Cuba wasn’t far away at Canterbury last start.
SELECTIONS: 1 IMPAVIDO, 6 FINAL FRONTIER, 2 CUBA

RACE 7 (WYONG FARMERS MARKETS EVERY 1ST & 3RD SATURDAY OF THE MONTH MAIDEN, 1100m): Royal Witness returns as a gelding and has blinkers and a lugging bit for the first time. He was a short-priced favourite when 2.3 lengths behind Zousain at Randwick in February. He was narrowly beaten in a recent trial and was never put under pressure. King’s Trust was placed at Gosford last start and he has drawn well. Mandalong Nicko is speedy and has been placed in all three starts.
SELECTIONS: 5 ROYAL WITNESS, 4 KING’S TRUST, 1 MANDALONG NICKO

RACE 8 (WYONG RACE CLUB FUNCTION CENTRE CLASS 2, 1350m): Kandy was very unlucky second up at Port Macquarie last start. The blinkers go on Thursday and so does ‘J Mac’ and the filly has class. She does go back but runs on strong. Maid Marilyn is a leader and she should be cherry ripe after two close up metropolitan runs. Tycoon Street can improve.
SELECTIONS: 1 KANDY, 2 MAID MARILYN, 3 TYCOON STREET

GARY HARLEY’S LATE MAIL
RACE 1
1 DOSSIER – GELDED SINCE LAST RUN & NICE TRIAL
3 GOT THE TICKETS – COUNTRY FORM GOOD
6 SUGARLAND EXPRESS – RACES OK HERE
4 MIST ON MONARO – PLACE

RACE 2
5 ERUDITION – OK ON DEBUT & GOOD TRIAL SINCE
1 McMAHON – WARMED UP LATE IN TRIAL
2 SUN AND HEIR – HAS FOOT ON THE TILL
4 DOMINICA – WILL BE RUNNING ON

RACE 3
7 DIAMOND STAR HALO – HUGE RUN LAST START
4 PRINCESS MIA – FRONT RUNNER. HARD TO RUN DOWN
1 ONLY TIGER – ALWAYS PUTS IN
5 RAW EMOTION – ONE PACED BUT CHANCE

RACE 4
3 VAINITY – R’WICK PLACEGETTER. NO LUCK 1ST UP
7 FINE BEHIND – NO LUCK LAST START
1 SPARKLING FACET – SPEEDY & COULD PLACE
6 TAKE TO HEART – TRIAL OK. HARD HELD
RACE 5
3 BOMBARDING – KIWI. TRIALLING IMPRESSIVELY
2 MR TINDALL – KNOCKING ON THE DOOR
4 THE BROWN ONE – LIKES TO LEAD. RACING OK
1 JEXERLENT – ALWAYS THEREABOUTS

RACE 6
1 IMPAVIDO – CLASS RUNNER & WINNER 1ST UP
6 FINAL FRONTIER – WINNER ONLY START HERE
2 CUBA – HAS GOOD FORM THIS TRACK
5 CLIFTON COUNTY – KEMBLA FORM GOOD

RACE 7
5 ROYAL WITNESS – RESUMES WITH VITAL GEAR CHANGES
4 KING’S TRUST – JUST MISSED ON DEBUT
1 MANDALONG NICKO – PLACED ALL 3 STARTS
9 ABOVE AND BEYOND – RECENT ROSEHILL TRIAL WIN

RACE 8
1 KANDY – STIFF LAST START & LOVES WET TRACK
2 MAID MARILYN – FRONT RUNNER. WELL PLACED
3 TYCOON STREET – FORGET LAST RUN
4 ZITHER - PLACE