Brenton Avdulla and Tim Clark dominated the riding ranks both booting home doubles at the April 8 Autumn Racing meeting.
The wins brought up four in four days for Avdulla, who heads into the first day of the Championships at Randwick on Saturday, with a number of key rides.
Clark brought up his fourth winner for the week and could also be in for a huge day at Randwick with eight rides across the program.
Avdulla’s winners came on the Maher/Eustace filly Sassysav in the 2100m Maiden and Gary Portelli’s two-year-old Akihiro, who was impressive breaking her maiden over 1350m.
The wins took him to second in the Wyong Jockey’s Premiership just one behind Jason Collett on ten.
Clark who has six Wyong wins to date, partnered Paul Perry’s promising three-year-old Saquon in the 1350m Class 1 and made it a race to race double on the Portelli trained Arctic Thunder in the 1350m Maiden.
Portelli had a winning double with Akihiro breaking through in the 1350m Maiden.
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Well-bred Savabeel filly Sassysav revelled in the heavy 10 conditions and outstayed her opposition to take out the DE BORTOLI WINES MAIDEN over 2100m, bringing up the first of Avdulla’s wins.
The filly was having her fourth career start and only her second in NSW.
The Maher/ Eustace training partnership, who purchased Sassysav as a $370,000 yearling at the Karaka sales, started her twice over shorter distances at Pakenham before relocating her to their Sydney stable.
She was luckless at her most recent start at Newcastle on March 30 when she finished fourth over the 1850m.
Avdulla had no such problems in the small field at Wyong, settling Sassysav just off the leaders until the final stages when she was able to run down Bedford Square on the line.
The $1.80 favourite Oceanic Flash, from the Ryan/Alexiou stable, was under pressure on the turn and struggled on the heavy track, to finish third.
Sassysav ($4.60) put more than a length on Matthew Smith’s Bedord Square ($3.20), with Oceanic Flash a further five lengths behind in third.
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An impressive step up to Provincial grade by the Rodney Ollerton trained Circus Bound to take out the 1350m GO ELECTRICAL PROV & CTRY MAIDEN.
Ollerton is the fifth trainer of the Uncle Mo gelding, who joined his stable late last year.
He seems to have found the key to the four-year-old who posted a convincing three length win under strong riding by the in-form Christian Reith.
He settled Circus Bound just behind the speed, circling the leaders on the turn before hitting his straps midway down the straight and pulling away for an easy win.
Circus Bound was bought by Jake Alder, who works with Ollerton at his Broadmeadow stable, from an online auction site.
He was having his fourth start for the stable, having been placed third at Scone and Quirindi before a last start fourth at Taree over 1600m.
“It’s great to get a winner for Jake, he does a good job for me.” Ollerton said. “The horse has been going along okay and it was a good win today.
“I’ve only given him four starts and he earned a go at the Provincials.
“I was a bit unsure if he’d handle the heavy going but he did and a great ride by Christian made the difference.”
Circus Bound was sent out at $5.50 after earning strong late support and beat the Stephen Jones trained Discompose ($16), with All At Sea ($9) from the James Harding stable, was third.
Grant Allard’s $2.20 favourite Bright Eyed Girl didn’t handle the conditions and finished toward the rear of the field.
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The Gary Portelli trained Akihiro appreciated a step back in grade to break through for a dominant win in the 1350m CARLTON DRAUGHT MAIDEN.
The victory bringing up Avdulla’s winning double.
The two-year-old had been racing in much stronger company and was runner up in the Victory Vein at Randwick in October.
At his latest outing in the Group 3 Black Opal at Canberra in March he finished seventh.
He looked sharp winning a trial at Warwick Farm on March 23 and carried that form into the Wyong race, easily putting away the small field.
Akihiro, who was sent out $1.45 favourite, was an $80,000 Magic Millions yearling.
He beat Klopp ($3.10) from the David Pfieffer stable, with Mick Attard’s Borsalina ($17), third.
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It was a walk in the park for the Ryan/Alexiou trained Tectonicus who put more than five lengths on his rivals to win the TAB.COM.AU CLASS 1 over 1600m.
The consistent Not A Single Doubt gelding was given a great front running ride by apprentice Tyler Schiller.
He had him under a tight hold along the back and led by two on straightening, kicking away in the straight and before being eased to the line.
Tectonicus was sent out $1.12 short-priced favourite on the strength of his recent form, coming off a third at Kembla on March 12 over the 1400m and a second when resuming at Wyong over 1350m on February 25.
His class prevailed with his second career win coming at start eight.
The locally trained Finney ($20) from the Rodney Bailey stable was second, with Greg McFarlane’s Landstrasse ($6.50) third.
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Shadow Colour broke a run of placings for a long overdue win for the Mark Newnham stable.
The Hinchbrook gelding finally broke his duck after being placed in ten of his previous 11 starts, taking out the MARKETS 2259 AT WYONG RACE CLUB SUNDAY APRIL 11 MAIDEN over the 1100m.
A $65,000 Magic Millions yearling, Shadow Colour had been runner up on eight previous occasions, all on the Provincial circuit.
“He’s finally done it today,” a relieved Robyn Fowler, representing the Newnham stable, said.
“It was his day, and I was pretty confident when he was full of running on the corner.
“He jumped really well, and I think the trial last week really brought him on.
“Hopefully it’s a confidence builder and the start of a picket fence this time.”
Shadow Colour jumped well and was taken to the lead by Josh Parr, who maintained the front, pinching a break on the turn and holding out his rivals in the final stages.
He beat the fast-finishing Godolphin runner Quatenus ($4.60) by a length, with Radiance ($6.50) also from the Godolphin yard, third.
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Saquon continued the trend for the day of dominant wins, producing a convincing four and a half length victory in the JIM BEAM CLASS 1 over 1350m.
The Paul Perry trained three-year-old was sent out $1.60 favourite and didn’t disappoint with the win never in doubt.
Tim Clark led from barrier to post in a perfectly rated front running ride, the first leg of a race to race double.
He gapped his rivals on the turn, relishing the heavy conditions, to post his most convincing win to date.
Bringing up his second victory from six starts, the promising No Nay Never gelding beat Portelli’s Zachariah ($7) who put in an improved performance, with Sammy ($4.60) from the Lees stable, two lengths behind in third.
Saquon, a $150,000 yearling, is raced by Perry and long-time clients Steve and Louise Gillard.
The same trio race Sky Lab, the second favourite in Saturday’s $2m Group 1 Australian Derby at Randwick.
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The Portelli stable brought up a double with Artic Thunder, who clocked up her fourth career win in a thrilling finish.
Tim Clark made it race to race wins, driving the Headwater filly to the line in the GREAT NORTHERN CONDITIONAL BENCHMARK 68 over 1350, to score by a narrow margin.
Artic Thunder, raced by Darby Syndications, was having her eighth career start and coming off a fourth at Goulburn on March 20.
Clark settled the filly midfield, weaving a path in the straight before taking her wide to run down the leader Rumpshaker on the line.
Artic Thunder ($4.40) brought up her fourth win beating Nick Mitchell’s Rumpshaker ($11), with Damien Lane’s Thiswilldous ($7) putting in a good run for third.
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Wyong specialist Dual Escape blitzed her opposition to bring up her fourth win on the track in the WYONG’S NEXT RACE MEETING THURSDAY APRIL 29 BENCHMARK 64 over 1100m.
The Denim Wynen trained and owned seven-year-old has had four wins since transferring from Kristen Buchanan in mid 2019, three of those at Wyong.
The seven-year-old is also a strong performer on a heavy track, with three wins from seven starts.
She was coming off a fourth at Gosford on March 27 over the 1100m and with conditions to suit, was sent out $4.80 in the small field.
Dual Escape showed her normal great speed from the gates and led throughout, posting a one and a half length win.
With 10 wins and six placings from her 49 starts, she has now won more than $200,000 in prizemoney.
She brought up her latest win beating the Mark Newnham trained race favourite Time For Victory ($4.20), with Flash Fibian ($7.50), from the Paul Murray stable, third.
