Last Provincial Qualifier At Wyong

Kris Lees is having one last shot at adding to his two Provincial Championships finalists in the remaining $150,000 Qualifier at Wyong on Saturday.

He has Evalina and Chalmers in the $500,000 Final at Randwick on April 13 and hopes Turnberry (Sam Clenton), Fuji Fury (Mitchell Bell) and Waruna (Andrew Gibbons) can join them by qualifying at Wyong.

His fourth acceptor first emergency Road To Heaven (Darryl McLellan) needs a scratching to secure a start.

“Turnberry is the class horse, but has to overcome an awkward draw,” stable spokesman Lucas Miller said.

“Fuji Fury is a Redoute’s Choice three-year-old, who is three from three so far. He is resuming and Kris has thrown him in the deep end on Saturday, but he deserves his chance.

“Waruna is resuming but has won first-up and beat our good sprinter Tactical Advantage in a 1000m barrier trial at Wyong earlier in the month.”

Lees has resorted to putting blinkers on Elgin (Gibbons) in the Maiden Plate (1600m) at Wyong, hoping they will get him into the winning list.

“Elgin worked strongly in blinkers on Tuesday morning before Kris left for Dubai,” Miller said. “He stays at 1600m, hence another reason why Kris decided to use blinkers.”

Potential staying filly Everard (Gibbons) tackles the Class 2 Handicap (1600m), and looks hard to beat on the strength of a decisive Coffs Harbour victory earlier in the month.

“Kris sent her to Melbourne last spring for the VRC Oaks at Flemington, but her campaign was aborted when she took ill,” Miller explained.

Ultimate Power (Gibbons) had a tough first-up run when third at Taree on March 15, and has worked soundly in preparation for the Metro & Provincial Maiden (1100m). He has been placed at all four starts to date.

Vendella (Gibbons) and Continuation (McLellan) both contest the Class 1 Handicap (1350m).

“Vendella had only arrived from New Zealand five days before she won at Newcastle on Newmarket day (March 8),” Miller said.

“Kris has given her time to get over that run and she worked strongly on Tuesday morning.

“Continuation is a Fiorente three-year-old who won over 1600m at Tamworth last October at only his second start, and then was spelled.

“He has had one trial leading into this race and will take improvement from it.”