Latest News

By Gary Harley

Champion trainer Chris Waller has booked Brenton Avdulla to ride a pair of the well-fancied stable runners in the Maiden Plates at Wyong on Thursday. Waller has accepted with five of his team but Antonio Giovanni and Fearnought - both resuming from spells - appear to be the stable's best chances.

Antonio Giovanni ($2.90 favourite on TAB) will start from barrier one in the PBL Law Group Maiden Plate(1300m) and the 3yo has had five starts for two seconds in his only preparation last spring. On debut in September the colt was beaten 0.89 of a length in a Kensington Track maiden.

He was runner-up at Rosehill before contesting two Victorian Group races in which the colt finished down the track. Antonio Giovanni has had two trials and he closed off nicely in a recent Rosehill trial. Stablemate Hollywood North is one of his main dangers.

The 3yo filly Fearnought ($4) is bred to be a star (I Am Invincible-Red Tracer) and resumes in the Huckel Excavations 3yo Maiden Plate (1200m). In her only preparation she was twice placed at Canterbury and Hawkesbury and has never finished further back than fourth in her short career.

She made good ground late from the tail in a recent trial. Waller also has the $14 chance Brechen in the same race.

Waller has $4.60 chance Norman in the Go Electrical Benchmark 64 Handicap (1300m). Norman overcame difficulties to win his only start at Newcastle on March 26.

Local Trainer Kim Waugh has five runners at the meeting. Wyong Race Club is hoping for a change of luck after the meeting last week was called off after four races. Last month again due to heavy rain the club had a meeting transferred to Newcastle.

RACE 1, TAB.COM.AU BENCHMARK 64 HANDICAP, 2000M: A wide-open race but Sacramento Joe ($3.40) with the 1½kg claim and step up in distance will be hard to beat. He is a lightly raced import with a sound record and he has placed four times on wet tracks. Arabolini ($3.40) is a front-running stayer with four heavy track wins and Bastida ($3.10 fav) is a last start winner.
SELECTIONS: 1 SACRAMENTO JOE, 2 ARABOLINI, 6 BASTIDA

RACE 2, WYONG RACE CLUB FUNCTION CENTRE MAIDEN, 1600M: Poetic Drama ($3.90) didn’t have luck in the straight when fourth at Hawkesbury on a heavy track last start. Avdulla has the mount and her past two starts have been on heavy tracks. Duke Of Gordon ($2.90 equal fav) was run down late at Scone last start and Blackall ($2.90 eq fav) hasn’t been far away in recent starts.
SELECTIONS: 7 POETIC DRAMA, 3 DUKE OF GORDON, 4 BLACKALL

RACE 3, DE BORTOLI WINES 2YO MAIDEN, 1000M: Diamond City ($3.90 eq fav) was run down late on a Heavy 10 at Newcastle first-up on March 31. The filly has drawn nicely and she steps up to 1000m. She raced in a Group 3 at Flemington in November last year. Luna Rocks ($3.90 eq fav) beat Diamond City at Newcastle and she can run well despite the outside barrier. Red Cobra’s ($9) run at Muswellbrook was an eye-catcher.
SELECTIONS: 6 DIAMOND CITY, 5 LUNA ROCKS, 3 RED COBRA

RACE 4, HUCKEL EXCAVATIONS 3YO MAIDEN PLATE, 1200M: Fearnought ($4) is a blue blood filly resuming. In her first prep she had four starts for placings at Canterbury and Hawkesbury. She ran on strong under no pressure in a recent Rosehill trial. Aircraftman ($2.20 fav) is a short-priced favourite after two Canterbury placings recently and races well on wet tracks. Airraid ($5) is on debut after a nice trial.
SELECTIONS: 11 FEARNOUGHT, 1 AIRCRAFTMAN, 2 AIRRAID

RACE 5, PBL LAW GROUP MAIDEN PLATE, 1300M: Antonio Giovanni ($2.90 fav) resumes after five starts in his first prep when he was runner-up at Rosehill and on the Kensington Track. The colt closed off nicely in a recent Rosehill trial and the rails barrier is gold. Oxford Vision ($3) has had three starts for three placings and is on his home track. Hollywood North ($4.80) is racing well with two recent placings.
SELECTIONS: 2 ANTONIO GIOVANNI, 5 OXFORD VISION, 4 HOLLYWOOD NORTH

RACE 6, GO ELECTRICAL BENCHMARK 64, 1300M: Brillar ($4.60) sat outside the leader and won narrowly at Hawkesbury first-up. He has speed and has the rails barrier. He has won his only start on a wet track. Sliders ($15) is a stablemate and she can race on the speed. Never Cry ($3.80 fav) won well at Hawkesbury on a heavy track last start.
SELECTIONS: 5 BRILLAR, 7 SLIDERS, 3 NEVER CRY

RACE 7, CARLTON DRAUGHT BENCHMARK 64, 1000M: Suprina ($3.60 fav) is flying in weaker company and she has won three on the trot. The mare won by 4 lengths at Muswellbrook, 8 lengths at Queanbeyan and 2 lengths at Orange. She has led in all three starts. Coal Crusher ($5.50) loves a wet track and races well first-up while Akasaki ($6.50) caught the eye last start.
SELECTIONS: 5 SUPRINA, 3 COAL CRUSHER, 6 AKASAKI

RACE 8, WYONG’S NEXT RACE MEETING APRIL 28 CLASS 4, 1600M: Highballer ($4 fav) has been placed in his past three starts, all at Goulburn. He has sound wet track form and led to the closing stages last start. Made By Khan ($4.80) went to the paddock after a Warwick Farm win in early January. He has had a trial. Peekays Legacy ($5.50) went okay first-up.
SELECTIONS: 4 HIGHBALLER, 1 MADE BY KHAN, 3 PEEKAYS LEGACY

LATE MAIL
RACE 1
1 SACRAMENTO JOE – TOUGH STAYER. LIKES IT WET
2 ARABOLINI – FRONT RUNNER. GOOD WIN LAST START
6 BASTIDA – BEAT SUBSEQUENT WINNER LAST START
9 ESSENTIAL SKY – PLACED 3 OF 4

RACE 2
7 POETIC DRAMA – NO LUCK LAST START
3 DUKE OF GORDON – GAVE GOOD SIGHT LAST TIME
4 BLACKALL – NOT FAR AWAY RECENTLY
1 DOWN EVERY ROAD – 1ST AUSSIE START. WATCH

RACE 3
6 DIAMOND CITY – JUST MISSED AT NEWCASTLE
5 LUNA ROCKS – NAILED LATE ONLY START
3 RED COBRA – BIG RUN ON DEBUT
1 CURRENCY LAD – LIKED THE TRIAL

RACE 4
11 FEARNOUGHT – PROMISING FILLY. WENT GOOD LAST PREP
1 AIRCRAFTMAN – GOOD METRO FORM
2 AIRRAID – 1ST START. NICE TRIAL
12 ISLAND LASS – RUN DOWN LATE AT NEWCASTLE

RACE 5
2 ANTONIO GIOVANNI – CITY FORM GOOD LAST PREP
5 OXFORD VISION – KNOCKING ON THE DOOR
4 HOLLYWOOD NORTH – FORM HARD TO FAULT
11 ISLAND LASS – RUN DOWN LATE AT NEWCASTLE

RACE 6
5 BRILLAR – TOUGH WIN 1ST START
7 SLIDERS – SPEEDY. CAN RUN WELL
3 NEVER CRY – STRONG WIN LAST START
6 NORMAN – OVERCAME DIFFICULTIES AT NEWCASTLE

RACE 7
5 SUPRINA – WON LAST 4
3 COAL CRUSHER – LOVES A WET TRACK
6 AKASAKI – BIG IMPROVEMENT LAST START
1 GREENHEART – WON LAST 3 BY BIG MARGINS

RACE 8
4 HIGHBALLER – PLACED 5 OF LAST 7. CAN LEAD
1 MADE BY KHAN – WON 3 OF 4 BEFORE SPELL
3 PEEKAYS LEGACY – FITTER THIS TIME
2 VIGOROUS FLOW – PLACE

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