Showtime Star is headed for the $150,000 final of the SKY RACING Summer Provincial Series after taking out the first heat at Wyong on Saturday.
The Brad Widdup trained mare led throughout the 1350m feature race and was able to hold out her challengers to win by almost a length.
The victory was one of several strong performances on the program, with highlights including riding doubles to Andrew Atkins and Lee Magorrian.
A large crowd enjoyed the sunshine and great Provincial racing, while raising funds for the Central Coast Kids In Need.
Andrew Atkins rated Showtime Star perfectly in the Class 5 feature, leading throughout off the back of a great start.
She was sent out $2 favourite following two previous Metropolitan placings at Warwick Farm and will now progress to the series final at Hawkesbury on December 15, along with placegetters Dream Eclipse ($26) trained by Brooke Somers and La Jolie Fillie ($9) from the Perry stable.
A daughter of Showcasing, Showtime Lady was a $50,000 Magic Millions purchase for James Harron.
Widdup has always had a good opinion of the five-year-old who has had five wins and five placings from her 18 starts.
“She’s done a good job for us,” he said. “We had a throw at the stumps with her at the Flemington last year and she didn’t disgrace. She is really racing well this preparation.”
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The Waller stable was confident about the chances of Kovalica in the 1600m GOSFORD MASONIC CENTRE MAIDEN and the son of Ocean Park didn’t disappoint.
The four-year-old caught the eye of punters in his only start where he finished fourth over the 1300m at Newcastle on October 15.
He was sent out $2.05 favourite and the win was never in doubt after Lee Magorrian settled him midfield in the early stages, patiently waiting until the 400m when began circling the field, hitting the front in the straight before drawing away to win by more than three lengths.
Robert Quinn’s Thoughtful Woman ($6.50) was second over the Craig Carmody trained Fireman ($21), who put in a much-improved performance for third.
“He was doing his best work late in the Newcastle race and we thought he would appreciate the step up in distance to the mile today,” stable representative Adam Stewart said. “We thought he’d go pretty close, and he did.”
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Another impressive winner in the GARY TURNER MEMORIAL – ABBEY TIMBER CG&E MAIDEN with Kristen Buchanan’s Oakfield Waratah ($3.80) blitzing his rivals over the 1350m.
Having his fourth career start, the Dissendent four-year-old showed good gate speed to enable Koby Jennings to place him in a gun spot, just behind the leader.
He hit the front on straightening and was able to put more than three lengths on his opposition on the line, despite Jennings losing his whip near the 100m when the result was beyond doubt.
Buchanan had been keen on the chances of Oakfield Waratah.
“He finally drew a good barrier and that was the difference today,” she said.
“I really like this horse. He’s raced well at Wyong in the past and it was great to see him win today.”
The Newnham trained Just An Upstart ($4.40) was second, head of Shihab ($2.70) from the Waller yard.
Oakfield Waratah is raced by Bruce McKenzie, who gave Buchanan one of her biggest wins the previous Saturday, with Oakfield Arrow taking out the $500,000 Four Pillars at Rosehill.
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It was a closer finish in the 1350m THE ROOS FOUNDATION F&M MAIDEN with the Snowden trained Kobenhavn diving on the line to snatch a narrow victory.
The I Am Invincible filly, a $400,000 Magic Millions yearling, was having her fourth career start, resuming this preparation with a 12th at Hawkesbury on October 20.
After an awkward start, she was ridden off the pace by Mitchell Bell, before a sustained run on the turn saw her pounce on the leaders in final stages, beating the $2.80 favourite Concordia, trained by Les Bridge by a neck.
Miss Faberge ($3.40) from the Sargent stable was third.
It was the fourth start for Kobenhavn, who had to overcome the widest barrier to bring up her first win.
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Nathan Doyle’s Kingdom Of Gold put on a superior staying display to take out the 2100m PETER MAC AUTOMOTIVE CLASS 1 & MAIDEN.
Despite being caught wide mid-race, the Animal Kingdom four-year-old was able to put in a sustained run in the straight before drawing away to win by almost two lengths.
Kingdom Of Gold, an Animal Kingdom four-year-old, was having his 10th career start, his latest outing a second at Newcastle on October 15 over the 2350m.
The victory brought up a double for Lee Magorrian, who settled the gelding just off the speed in the early stages. He found himself three deep around the 800m and began a run, which he sustained into the straight, drawing away to win by almost two lengths.
The James Ponsonby trained Raffish ($11) was second, over Brad Widdup’s $3.20 favourite Brave Boy.
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Promising prospect Field Marshal kept his unbeaten record intact winning the FREEMASONS ON THE CENTRAL COAST CLASS 1 over 1350m.
The three-year-old colt, by prominent Great Britain sire Kingman, debuted with a strong win over 1200m at Canberra on October 21.
Trainer John Thompson stepped him up in distance at Wyong and courtesy of a great ride by Blake Spriggs, he posted his second successive win.
Spriggs didn’t have it all his own way, having to contend with the horse over racing in the early and middle stages and was then being held up for a run in the straight.
When he found clear running, he showed a good turn of foot to run down the leaders and win by a length.
Spriggs, who teamed with Field Marshal’s owner Paul Fudge to take out a Group 1 on Sir John Hawkwood, has a very good opinion of the colt going forward and believes he will improve further over more ground.
Despite a tough run, Superargo ($21) put in a much-improved performance to finish second for Stephen O’Halloran, with the $2.90 favourite Principessa trained by Joe Pride, third.
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There were a few nervous moments for the connections of Hard To Say who looked to have the 1000m CENTRAL COAST UNITY BANK MIDWAY MAIDEN won before a late challenge by Terra Mater.
The Exceed And Excel gelding, trained by Jason Deamer, was sent out as $1.60 favourite on the strength of two previous Eagle Farm placings.
Andrew Atkins pinged the gates and looked like the winner a long way from home before Jarrod Austin’s Terra Mater emerged from the pack.
The filly dived on the line but just missed, the race going too Hard To Say by the smallest possible margin.
The winner, a $160,000 Magic Millions yearling, is raced by Dynamic Syndications.
Oakfield Blue Bell ($3.70) trained by Damien Lane finished third, but will take plenty of improvement from the run, having missed the start.
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Jarrod Austin didn’t go home empty handed, with his Super One mare Suprina outsprinting her opposition in the WIDELINE WINDOWS AND DOORS BM64 over 1000m.
The five-year-old was taken to an early lead by Jess Taylor after jumping well and maintained it throughout, posting a two-length victory.
Suprina ($12) has proved to be a bargain buy for Austin and connections, who purchased her in January last year for $25,000.
She has since gone on to win four races and run multiple placings, taking her overall prizemoney to $118,200.
Three of the four wins came with Jess Taylor in the saddle.
In her latest win she beat O’Tycoon ($4.80) trained by Bjorn Baker, with Stephen Jones’ Ranuncula ($9) third.
