Tracey Bartley’s classy mare Mabel ($3.40 favourite on TAB) will have the benefit of stable apprentice Anna Roper's 3kg allowance when she contests the Ettalong Bowling Club Provincial Benchmark 64 Handicap (1100m) at the Wyong meeting on Thursday.
The four-year-old was originally allocated 62kg but the in-form apprentices claim will see Mabel carry 59kg on her home track. Mabel was heavily backed ($4 into $2.70) when she was very strong late in winning an Open Handicap at Hawkesbury on November 9.
The Hawkesbury win was on a Good 3 track and Mabel will appreciate a firm track at Wyong. The mare won two of three second-up and she should have a nice trail from the good barrier.
The Nathan Doyle-trained Edge Of Reward ($2.30 fav) is set for a well-deserved win in the Raise Respect Midway Maiden Handicap (1350m). The 4yo has been placed in five of his seven starts and this preparation he has been runner-up in all three starts.
Last start at Newcastle on October 29 Edge of Reward was run down in the closing stages by the very smart Wrathful. He is an on-pacer and Lee Magorrian has the mount.
Local trainers are well represented at the Wyong meeting. Kim Waugh has two genuine chances with Selfless Act (race 4-$4.80) and Dimaggio (race 5-$3.40). Damien Lane's best chances are Oakfield Blue Bell (race 2-$3.60) and She's A Bad Girl (race 4-$5.50).
Kristen Buchanan's Oakfield Paperbark (race 2-$3.40 fav) and Oakfield Triumph (race 7-$6) should run well.
RACE 1, STOP ABUSE AT THE START 4YO & UP MAIDEN PLATE, 1600m: Diamond Drummer ($2.30 fav) is knocking at the door with placings in his past three starts. He was beaten 1.8 lengths last start in a Canterbury maiden after being slow away and he survived a protest from the fourth placegetter. Zimtopia ($5.50) wasn't far away on debut and Miss Shalaa ($4.40) has been runner-up in her two starts this prep.
SELECTIONS: 1 DIAMOND DRUMMER, 8 ZIMTOPIA, 6 MISS SHALAA
RACE 2, NO EXCUSE FOR ABUSE MAIDEN HANDICAP, 1100m: Oakfield Blue Bell ($3.60) was well backed when placed in a strong maiden on this track on debut on November 5. The mare had won a trial by 5 lengths prior to her debut and she will have benefited from that run. Oakfield Paperbark ($3.40 fav) wasn't far away first-up at Gosford and he draws well. Exsensible ($3.60) has good speed and the rails barrier is a positive.
SELECTIONS: 2 OAKFIELD BLUE BELL, 6 OAKFIELD PAPERBARK, 1 EXSENSIBLE
RACE 3, RAISE RESPECT MIDWAY MAIDEN HANDICAP, 1350m: Edge of Reward ($) is due for a change of luck after being runner up in all three starts this preparation. He was run down late by a smart horse at Newcastle last start. He is an on pacer and he has a soft barrier. Beauty Crusade is trialling okay and Mancconi has a place chance.
SELECTIONS: 1 EDGE OF REWARD, 2 BEAUTY CRUSADE, 7 MANCONNI
RACE 4, ELIMINATION AGAINST VIOLENCE MAIDEN PLATE, 1000m: Selfless Act ($4.80) made her debut at Hawkesbury on November 3 and she finished a close third. The filly could have finished closer as she was held up on the turn. Her trial form was good before her debut and she has a nice barrier. Biographer ($5) is a former Victorian which is now with Ron Quinton and he has impressed in two Sydney trials. Meod ($4.20) is on debut after a nice trial.
SELECTIONS: 10 SELFLESS ACT, 3 BIOGRAPHER, 9 MEOD
RACE 5, REPORT. REPORT OFTEN BENCHMARK 68, 1200m: Dimaggio ($3.40) is racing well and with the 3kg allowance will be hard to beat. He was an easy Kembla winner in September followed by two close placings at Hawkesbury. He hasn't raced for two months but trialled at Wyong on November 7. Moralist ($3.20 fav) led all the way at Gosford last start and Ranuncular ($4) raced well on this track last start.
SELECTIONS: 1 DIMAGGIO, 4 MORALIST, 3 RANUNCULA
RACE 6, JOHN ELLIOT CLASS 1, 1350m: West of Africa ($4.40 fav) is well placed here in his first start since June. He won a Newcastle maiden on protest in March and he was only two lengths from the winner in the Group 3 Ken Russell at the Gold Coast in May. The colt's trials indicate he is ready to win first-up. Oakfield Waratah ($6) bolted in with a maiden on this track last start and he has the rails barrier. Ausbred Flirt ($4.80) was unlucky when placed last start at Hawkesbury.
SELECTIONS: 6 WEST OF AFRICA, 1 OAKFIELD WARATAH, 8 AUSBRED FLIRT
RACE 7, ETTALONG BOWLING CLUB BENCHMARK 64, 1100m: Mabel ($3.40 fav) is a classy mare and the 3kg allowance is a huge positive. She was very good in winning first-up at Hawkesbury on November 9. The mare has a very good second-up record and she will be hard to hold out. Hard To Say ($4) held on to win on this track first-up and Oakfield Triumph ($6) should run well.
SELECTIONS: 1 MABEL, 2 HARD TO SAY, 11 OAKFIELD TRIUMPH
RACE 8, THE MOUNTIES GROUP BENCHMARK 64, 1600m: Da Nang Star ($5) was an easy Port Macquarie winner on November 10. He led all the way and he will appreciate the dry track and 3kg claim. Kickatorp ($3.20 fav) and Duke of Buckingham ($5) are the main threats.
SELECTIONS: 1 DA NANG STAR, 3 KICKATORP, 2 DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM
