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By Frances O'Shea

It’s going to be a big weekend for Kembla trainer Ross McConville with a runner in the last at Royal Randwick on Saturday and another lining up in the first at Wyong on Sunday.

But the 77-year-old thinks it could be all worthwhile if his talented mare Either Oar can greet the judge in Sydney along with his two Wyong runners Tell The Future and South Of India.

“It will be busy that’s for sure, but all three horses are racing well and hopefully we can get some results.”

It’s been almost two years since McConville took over the stables of his long-term partner Gwenda Markwell following her shock cancer diagnosis in February 2022.

Sadly, she succumbed to the disease eight months later, but McConville had already been running the operation for some time, so it was a relatively seamless transition.

He had had a lengthy association with Markwell, having bred and raced horses as part of her team for many years.

The operation has been paired down to around 26 horses, a manageable number for McConville, who has already trained nine winners this season, one more than last season’s tally.

He is confident Tell The Future, a four-year-old Nostradamus gelding, can add to his winners by claiming the 2100m Class 1 Maiden on Sunday.

He has had 11 starts for three placings but McConville believes he has now found the key that will help Tell The Future break through.

“He used to play up in the gates and wouldn’t jump. So, I sent him to Shane Rose (a triple Olympic medalist in eventing) at Bimbden Park for three weeks.

“He jumped cleanly at his last start over 2000m at on Saturday and finished third. I think if he can do the same at Wyong and jumps well he will be right in the finish.

"It looks like a good race for him, and he’s been placed at the track over the same distance.”

McConville has a good opinion of South Of India, who will line up in the 1000m Class 1.

The Churchill three-year-old is a last start Newcastle winner over 900m on January 11.

“He’s a very nice up and coming horse. I bred him and have high expectations but want to take my time with him. I expect him to race really well.”

Wyong is honouring departing trainer Stephen “Crusher” Farley on Sunday, naming a race after him.

Farley, who has trained at the track for more than 23 years, is relocating to Port Macquarie.

The first on a seven-race card gets underway at 1.35pm.

SELECTIONS
Race 1 – 1.35pm: TAB.COM.AU CLASS 1 & MAIDEN (2100m): 1 TELL ME MA, 1 Tell The Future, 3 Bush Girl, 4 Lady Brulee.
Race 2 – 2.10pm: HUCKEL EXCAVATIONS MIDWAY CLASS 1 (1600m): 1 SOVEREIGN DANE, 2 Devine Outcast, 3 Gardenzio, 4 Outakandy.
Race 3 – 2.45pm: SKY CHANNEL PROVINCIAL MAIDEN (1350m): 1 FUGITIVA, 2 Pluckten, 3 Shigeru, 4 Cup Of Ambition.
Race 4 – 3.25pm: WYONG LEAGUES CLUB F&M MAIDEN (1200m): 1 KHAZNAH, 2 Countyourblessings, 3 Koby Girl, 4 Our Voice.
Race 5 – 4.04pm: CARLTON & UNITED BREWERIES CG&E MAIDEN (1200m): 1 NOBLE ONE, 2 Edited By, 3 Khumbila, 9 Merchant Empire.
Race 6 – 4.45pm: BEST WISHES WRC TRAINER STEPHEN “CRUSHER” FARLEY CLASS 1 (1000m): 1 SHAKO, 2 Pearl’s Treasure, 3 South Of India, 4 Fludway.
Race 7 – 5.21pm: DE BORTOLI WINES BM64 (1300m): 1 MERRY MAC BOY, 2 King’s Duty, 3 Mirra Impact, 4 Selfless Act.

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