A treble for Brenton Avdulla, an impressive debutant and a long shots surprise win were among the highlights of our GO Electrical Race Day.
The Ryan Alexiou trained Tsarina Sophie could be the one to follow from the meeting, bringing up her second win in as many starts.
And the locals weren’t to be denied with Kim Waugh and Damien Lane book ending the meeting with Sir Godric and Oakfield Warpaint.
Race 1: LEDVANCE – HPM LEGRAND – PRYSMIAN – HAGER MIDWAY MAIDEN PLATE (1350m):
A Wyong winner was never in doubt in the final stages of the 1350m Maiden and it was Kim Waugh’s $2.10 favourite Sir Godric who got the bob on the line.
The Dundeel gelding fought out the finish with Tracey Bartley’s Frosbie ($3.90), the latter proving too strong in the final stages to win by a long neck. The pair put almost three lengths on the third placegetter Rabainreach ($9).
Sporting the distinctive colours of two of Australia’s biggest owners Frank and Christine Cook, Sir Godric was having his third race start and second this preparation.
Jockey Jay Ford signalled his intent early, settling him on pace beside the leader Frosbie, patiently holding his position until the final 50m.
Waugh was full of praise for Sir Godric, believing the three-year-old is a future stayer in the making.
“It was a super confident ride by Jay and great performance by what I consider to be a very progressive horse.”
Race 2: SHARKRACK CLASS 1 & MAIDEN PLATE (2100m):
The judge wasn’t required by Mum’s The Boss ($2.30fav) who put more than two lengths on her rivals to bring up her second career win.
The Foxwedge mare had to wait almost eight months to break through for her second victory, but trainer Brad Widdup found the perfect race at Wyong.
Her victory was assisted by a well-rated, front-running ride from Brenton Avdulla, who brought up the first of a treble of wins.
The five-year-old led from barrier to post, with Avdulla drawing away in the final stages.
Stable representative Andrew Rabbett said they had expected the mare to race well.
“It’s taken a while for her to win again but she has run in a few races that were beyond her at the time. She does have ability but has been slow maturing mentally.
“She’s starting to figure things out and we knew the step up in distance would help.”
Second favourite Vincenzo ($3.80), from the Ryan Alexiou yard, fought on well to the line, with the Gavenlock trained Tina’s Rock ($31) putting in a much-improved run to finish third.
Race 3: THORN – OMEGA POWER – PSA – SCHNEIDER MAIDEN PLATE (1600m):
The step up to a mile suited Lonely Rock to a tee, the Fastnet Rock four-year-old bringing up his first win at start eight.
And it was a huge upset with Ian Finn’s horse, the rank outsider of the field, returning $101.
Warwick Farm-based Finn has always had an opinion of Lonely Rock, a $350,000 Magic Millions yearling, having nominated him for last year’s Cox Plate.
Reece Jones pulled off a super ride, settling just behind the leaders, and despite being forced wide on the turn, was able to emerge from the pack in the final stages and snatch victory.
Lonely Rock was having his eighth career start and had been unplaced in all his previous runs.
He will certainly be worth following as he continues to step up over ground, as will Gary Portelli’s $2.15 favourite, Spitfire, who hung out badly in the straight, finishing fourth.
The runner-up Kaisa ($16) trained by Lou Mary, also had excuses after being held up on the tun, while the Neasham trained Jamrock ($7.50), who finished third, isn’t far off a win.
Race 4: RED SMOKE ALARMS – OMNI – LEVY AGENCIES – IPD MAIDEN PLATE (1000m):
Annabel Neasham’s impeccably bred debutant Anavinci ($4) kicked off her career in super fashion with a dominant win.
And it was another great ride by the in-form Avdulla, who took luck out of the equation, by leading all the way to win by almost two lengths.
The I Am Invincible filly had impressed at both her barrier trials, catching the eye with a win over the 794m at Warwick Farm on November 18.
She was sent out $3.30 second favourite and with the impressive debut win, looks to have a bright future.
Joe Pride’s $1.80 favourite Ramones was disappointing, with apprentice Tyler Schiller telling stewards he had been forced wide and without cover throughout.
Godolphin galloper Coriolis ($18) finished strongly in second after a slow start, while the Snowden trained Fanagoria ($9.50) was third.
Race 5: MATCHMASTER – EVOLT – TRADER – APP CLASS 1 HANDICAP (1200m):
Ponca ($4.20) made it back-to-back wins with a convincing victory, eased down on the line to win by a length.
The win continued a great run for Hawkesbury-based Michael Freedman, who has trained eight winners in less than a month.
By gun sire American Pharoah, Ponca was a $400,000 yearling and is raced by China Horse Club. She was coming off a last start victory at Gosford over 1200m.
Tom Sherry gave the three-year-old a great, rails hugging ride, with the filly showing an impressive turn of foot in the final stages.
Sophie Johnson, representing the stable, said it was a huge improvement by the filly.
“She was super. It was a massive improvement from her last start. She just needed a bit of winding up last time but today she just glided along like it was nothing. She’s definitely improved.”
The Hawkes trained Shines ($4.40), fought on well to finish second but the hard luck story belonged to Snowden’s $3.30 favourite California Press, who flashed down the outside to finish third, after missing the start by more than two lengths.
Race 6: HANECO BENCHMARK 64 HANDICAP (1000m):
Finally, it was a win for the favourite, with speedy filly Tsarina Sophia ($2.60) keeping her unbeaten record intact with her second win in as many starts.
The Russian Revolution three-year-old was resuming from a spell, having won on debut at Kembla in May and looks to have a bright future.
She was spelled after the win by the Ryan Alexiou stable and looked smart finishing second in a trial at Rosehill on November 24.
Punters were keen to support her, and she didn’t disappoint, with Avdulla placing her midfield after a slow start, before peeling to the outside in the straight and running down the leaders on the line.
Mike Van Gestel’s consistent gelding No Statement ($6.50) put in another honest performance to finish second, with local galloper Bedtime Stories ($41) putting in a much-improved run to finish third.
There were excuses for equal favourite Boomsong, who was untested in the straight.
Race 7: GENERAL TRADE SUPPLIERS PROVINCIAL BENCHMARK 64 HANDICAP (1600m):
The locals were cheering in the last after Damien Lane’s Oakfield Warpaint ($8.50) brought up his fourth career win.
The Exceed And Excel gelding was coming off a second at Gosford on November 30, where he was narrowly beaten over the 1600m.
Lane kept him in the same grade and distance at Wyong and the five-year-old didn’t disappoint, winning by a length and a half.
Tyler Schiller had the five-year-old just off the speed throughout before peeling wide on the straight and racing away on the line.
The stable had been confident of a good run, with the gelding having great third up form.
The Lees trained Handsome ($16) was slow the start but hit the line strongly to finish second in only his second Australian start, while another local galloper Mark Cross’s Sian ($3.40fav) finished third.
