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By Julieanne Horsman

Popular Kembla Grange trainer Diane Poidevin Laine is enjoying a purple patch, but she will be tickled pink like her silks if Audenzia continues her run of good form on Tuesday.

The five-year-old mare turned a corner when she was transferred into Diane’s care, winning three of her last four starts. Now the trainer is eyeing off a Provincial-Midway Championships berth for her.

“She’s been racing consistently well, and I think she is good enough to have a crack at it.” Diane said.

“I would love to see her become my first runner in the series.”

Diane Poidevin Laine with Audenzia at her Kembla Grange stable.

Audenzia will line up in the Celebrating 70 Years of Wests Illawarra Conditional Benchmark 68 Handicap over 1400m and heads into the race equal favourite alongside fellow Kembla Grange galloper, Wild Thoughts.

“She’s having a great campaign and loves her home track,” Diane said.

“When she first arrived, she was very cranky but has become happier and calmer and it is showing on the track. She is still a bit nervous at the races but has improved out of sight.”

Pierre Boudvillain has ridden Audenzia for all three of her wins and will again take the reins tomorrow.

“Barrier 10 isn’t ideal so I will leave it to Pierre to decide where to place her. He knows her well,” Diane said.

“I am still confident she will finish in the first three.”

Kembla Grange hosts the fifth of six $150,000 Provincial-Midway Championships heats on Saturday, 21st March. The first two across the line will earn a start in the $1million final at Royal Randwick on Saturday, 11th April.

Diane will saddle up three other runners for Wests Illawarra Members Raceday at Kembla Grange.

She has chosen to separate Audenzia and Mah Ali so the More Than Ready mare will be contesting the Wests Illawarra Community Strong Benchmark 64 Handicap over 1600m.

“I haven’t had her for all that long so I am still learning about her but the extra 100m will suit her,” Diane said. “I would have preferred to have drawn a bit closer though.”

Diane hopes bargain buy Li’l Grug will be on his best behaviour when he contests the Peak Gardens Class 1 Handicap over 1000m.

“He can be a bit unpredictable,” Diane said.

“Sometimes he goes to the races and is calm. Other times he gets a bee in his bonnet and wants to get on with job, but he goes up in the barriers instead of out.”

Regardless of where he finishes, Li’l Grug will always be a star in the eyes of Diane’s grandkids.

“They just love him,” she said. “He’s their favourite.”

Lightly raced gelding Radion rounds out Diane’s team heading to Kembla Grange tomorrow, stepping up to 1500m in the Go Hire The Event People Midway Maiden Handicap for the second race of this preparation.

“He’s a bit of a slow learner and has taken longer to put it all together but he is doing everything right now. He’s bred to race over 2400m.”

Smart filly Nerefusobek was on the wrong side of a painful photo finish last week and Diane had nominated her for a quick back up but chose not to accept.

“We just want to give her a bit more time between races.”

All the fields, form and replays for Tuersday's meeting at Kembla Grange