Month: August 2024

Nash Rawiller has an impressive record on Terra Mater and will partner the mare in her quest to claim Sunday’s $200,000 Listed Domeland Mona Lisa Stakes (1350m) at Wyong. 

Jarrod Austin’s talented five-year-old is a among a super field of fillies and mares contesting the feature race on day two of the Carlton United Breweries Wyong Cup Carnival.

The Mona Lisa has previously been run on Cup Day but with the new three-day format is now Sunday’s feature, on a strong eight race card. 

Terra Mater, a daughter of Wandjina, has been ridden by Rawiller in six previous races for three wins and a placing, including a metropolitan hat trick last summer. 

The pair combined at her latest outing when she resumed at Rosehill on August 17 and was narrowly beaten by Kazou in a BM88 over 1200m. 

Austin said there is more improvement to come and is excited about the prospect of the mare snaring a stakes win. 

“She’s come back bigger and stronger, and everything is going to plan so far,” he said. 

“We set her for the Mona Lisa Stakes some time ago and are looking forward to Sunday. She pulled up very well after Rosehill and worked really good this week. I’m very happy with her.

“We’d love to be able to pick up a stakes race for her, that would be the icing on the cake.”

As well as a champion jockey at the reins with two previous Mona Lisa’s to his credit, Terra Mater will benefit from barrier two on a good track over her favourite distance. 

Three of her six victories have come over the 1350m along with two minor placings and she was narrowly beaten on debut at Wyong in November 22 so the track will suit.

Winning won’t be an easy task with strong competition from the likes of Bjorn Baker’s Shezanalister, who was third in the Group 2 Missile Stakes at Randwick last start and Kris Lees last start Rosehill winner Hellavadancer.

Gerald Ryan’s August 18 Mona Lisa Prelude winner Pajanti has drawn barrier four, the lightly raced four-year-old a previous Wyong winner over the 1350m. 

Kim Waugh’s Selfless Act, runner-up in the Prelude, represents the locals but will have to overcome a wide barrier in 15, while Tracey Bartley’s Irish Kisses is second emergency but will start in the 1350m BM64. 

The first of eight races gets underway at 12.55pm with the track currently rated a good four. 

SELECTIONS:

Race 1 – 12.55pm: TABCORP MAIDEN PLATE (1600m): 1 KINGS OF THUNDER, 2 Forrest Gump, 3 Ilovenews, 4 Minnehaha Falls.

Race 2 – 1.29pm: WYONG LEAGUES GROUP CLASS 1 (1600m): 1 Oakfield Blue Bell, 2 Line Of Fire, 3 Euromaster, 4 Slick ‘N Quick.

Race 3 – 2.04pm: 1 GENEROUS HARRY, 2 Wild Sensation, 3 Luna Field, 4 Le Pelago.

Race 4 – 2.39pm: #TEAMWYONG EQULMILLION PROVCIAL MAIDEN (1100m): 1THE ACT, 2 Lady Ichikawa, 3 Koios, 4 Leantothemoon.

Race 5 – 3.15pm: SKY CHANNEL 3YO MAIDEN (1200m): 1 EMBASSY, 2 Excelindeed, 3 Tact, 4 Diddle Dumpling.

Race 6 – 3.50pm: JOHNNIE ROBERTS MEMORIAL BM64 (1000m): 1CROSS YOUR HEART, 2 Queen Of Dragons, 3 Reigning King, 4 Catch The Glory.

Race 7 – 4.25pm: DOMELAND MONA LISA STAKES (1350m): 1 TERRA MATER, 2 Shezanalister, 3 Hellavadancer, 4 Pajanti.

Race 8 – 5pm: CARLTON & UNITED BREWERIES MIDWAY BM64 (1350m): 1 ETCHED IN TIME, 2 Foolish, 3 Tender Streak, 4 Star Legacy.   

Wyong’s new format Carlton United Breweries Cup Carnival gets underway on Sunday with Star 104.5 Ladies Day and new additions, the Cup and Mona Lisa preludes, have attracted quality fields. 

Our local trainers are represented in both features, Kim Waugh’s Doraskaya and Camaguey in the $60k Cup Prelude (2000m), while the stable has Always In and Selfless Act in the $60 Mona Lisa Prelude (1200m) joined by Kristen Buchanan’s duo Drama Dodger and Winning Proposal and Kellie Nicholls Michelle’s Gift. 

The winner of each prelude will be exempt from the ballot in the $250,000 Listed Wyong Leagues Group Cup and $200,000 Domeland Mona Lisa Stakes to be run on Friday, September 1.

Waugh’s duo Camaguey and Doraskaya will carry her hopes of a Wyong Cup runner, the latter a last start Wyong winner of 1600m. 

Buchanan is hedging her bets with talented filly Winning Proposal, who is dual accepted for the $200k Listed Rosebud at Rosehill on Saturday and the Mona Lisa Prelude.

“I’m in two minds with Winning Proposal but Drama Dodger will definitely start and has a good chance,” she said.

“Wherever Winning Proposal runs I’m expecting a strong performance. She trialled really nice at Randwick and is a lovely filly. 

“I accepted with Drama Dodger in the BM64 (1350m) as well, but she has drawn much better in the prelude and deserves her chance. 

“I was a little concerned with her on the Wyong track, but she hit the line really well last start and has trained on well since.”

A Nicconi mare, Drama Dodger has won two of her eight starts, and been placed twice. In her latest outing at Wyong on July 24 she was beaten a head over the 1200m and has previously won on a heavy track.

While Buchanan has accepted with new stable addition Hell Of A Fox in the 3YO Maiden (1200m) she is unlikely to start. 

“She is much better on top of the ground so I will probably look elsewhere.

“That’s also the case for Hell Of A Show were he to get a run in the 1100m BM64. He is sixth emergency so it’s unlikely anyway. Oakfield Storm, in the same race is first up, but has drawn 16 and is also an emergency.

“It could be a lighter day for the stable than expected.”

The track is currently rated a Heavy 9, with the rail in the true position.

SELECTIONS:

Race 1 – 12.45pm: CARLTON WYONG CUP CARNIVAL PROVINCIAL MAIDEN (1600m): 1OAKFIELD BLUE BELL, 2 Lonreel, 3 Legris, 4 Shine Like It Does. 

Race 2 – 1.20pm: 2024 WYONG LEADING TRAINER KIM WAUGH CLASS 1 (1600m): 1AUNTY RENE, 2 Let’s Go Johnny, 3 Lady Devine, 4 No Tackle.

Race 3 – 1.55pm: LIZZIE JELFS PUNTERS CLUB 3YO MAIDEN (1200m): 1EMBASSY, 2 Lilac, 3 Bendrodt, 4 Tsunami.

Race 4 – 2.30pm: DOMELAND MONA LISA PRELUDE (1200m): 1 SELFLESS ACT, 2 Memoria, 3 Pjanti, 4 Drama Dodger.

Race 5 – 2024 WYONG RACE CLUB TRAINERS PREMEIRSHIP WINNER PETER AND PAUL SNOWDEN 4YO & UP MAIDEN (1100m): 1HERE COMES HOGAN, 2 Sharpen The Knives, 3 Phobos, 4 Be Quiet.

Race 6 – 3.45pm: 2024 WRC JOCKEYS PREMIERSHIP AND LEADING APPRENTICE JOCKEY ZAC LLOYD MIDWAY BM64 (1350m): 1 TRAPEZE PLEASURE, 2 Can Expect Greater, 3 Sebrence, 4 Struff.

Race 7 – 4.25pm: STAR 104.5 WYONG CUP PRELUDE (2000m): 1KILLER KERR, 2 Can Expect Greater, 3 Vos Savant, 4 Take The Jackpot. 

Race 8 – 5.05pm: 1 STARMAE, 2 Incarcerated, 3 Braveheart, 4 Leave Me Some. 

Rodney Bailey has enjoyed his most successful season in more than a decade and is hoping the wins can continue with his two runners at Wyong on Sunday. 

Bailey, a veteran trainer of more than 30 years, maintains a small stable of around 10 at his Wyong base and bagged seven winners from 65 runners, and a further 14 placegetters. 

Two of his 2023/24 winners Norton Road and Mr Bingo line up for Bailey on Sunday, Norton Road in the inaugural Domeland Kulnura Cup. 

The Stratum Star gelding, a $7500 yearling purchase by Bailey, burst onto the scene in January this year with two successive wins at Wyong and Newcastle.

His recent form hasn’t been as strong, but Bailey said there are excuses. 

“He’s still got the ability, but things haven’t been going his way,” he said. “It’s been a combination of things, he’s been over racing and the heavy tracks haven’t suited. 

“He hasn’t had a lot of luck either and I made the mistake of putting winkers on him, which didn’t suit.”

But Bailey expects the five-year-old to put in one of his best performances in the 1300m BM68, 

“We’ll ride him forward again, which will suit at Wyong, and I expect him to race really well.”

Bailey also has strong expectations of Mr Bingo in the 1000m Midway BM64.

The six-year-old son of Deep Field has won two of his 25 starts with eight minor placings.

Despite finishing at the rear of the field over 1000m at Queanbeyan last start, Bailey thinks he can figure in the finish on Sunday. 

“Like Norton Road there have been excuses, he’s played up in the barriers a few times which hasn’t helped.

“He loves Wyong and I think he’ll go well. I’d say both mine are strong each way chances.”

Kim Waugh saddles up two home track runners, having already kick started  her local Wyong Trainers Premiership defence with a Hawkesbury win on Thursday.

In an outstanding training effort, Waugh claimed the title for the seventh successive season after training 40 winners in the past 12 months. 

She was also runner-up in the Wyong Trainers Premiership, falling one short to Snowden Racing who trained 11 winners on the track.

Tyler Schiller claimed the Jockeys Premiership with 11 wins, while Zac Lloyd’s ten wins saw him take out the Apprentices title. 

The first of eight races gets underway at midday.

SELECTIONS:

Race 1 – 12pm: STONE REAL ESTATE WYONG MAIDEN (1600m): 1 Elle Hudson, 2 Elusive Mission, 3 Casterly Rock, 4 Éclair Dancer.

Race 2 – 12.40pm: LIMITLESS LODGE BM64 (1600m): 1 DORASKAYA, 2 Malabar, 3 Star Legacy, 4 Oakfield Warpaint.

Race 3 – 1.20pm: ECONOMY WASTE GROUP 3YO MAIDEN (1200m): 1 ALL EYES ON HER, 2 November Air, 3 Forrest Gump, 4 Yabby Pump.

Race 4 – 2pm: AGRANA FRUIT AUSTRALIA PROVINCIAL MAIDEN (1350m): 1 KERVETTE, 2 Torie’s Rose, 3 Perri Lass, 4 Oakfield Blue Bell. 

Race 5 – 2.40pm: MILANGALL PARK MAIDEN (1100m): 1 ÉCLAIR VITALITY, 2 Show County, 3 Here Comes Hogan, 4 Conchiero.

Race 6 – 3.20pm: 1 HELLOVA NATURE, 2 Sukida, 3 Russian Assassin, 4 Oceans One. 

Race 7 – 4pm: DOMELAND KULNURA CUP CONDITIONAL BM68 (1300m): 1 GLOBAL EMPIRE, 2 Terrameades, 3 Bend The Knee, 4 Denman Star.

Race 8 – 4.40pm: MANGROVE MOUNTAIN MEMORIAL CLUB TOWN PLATE CLASS 1 (1100m): 1 INCARCERATED, Flying Rani, Iconic Treasure, 4 She’s All It.