WYONG’S newest and richest race looks certain to be wide open.
Twenty-one nominations were received today for the $500,000 Wyong Leagues Group The Lakes (1600m) on Saturday – and market assessors were unable to decide on an outright early favorite.
So much so that TAB.com.au posted four horses at the top of the betting at $6.
They are last month’s Group 2 The Ingham winner Robusto (pictured above), last week’s Group 3 Gosford Belle of the Turf Stakes winner Konasana, recent Canberra Community Chest winner Chorlton Lane, and Boxing Day’s Group 3 Summer Cup runner-up Osipenko.
The four co-favorites come from leading stables. Chris Waller has Konasana and Osipenko, Bjorn Baker has Robusto, and Ciaron Maher prepares Chorlton Lane.
Robusto heads the weights with 59kg, Osipenko has 57.5kg, Chorlton Lane 56.5kg and Konasana has 54kg.
Along with Konasana and Osipenko, Waller has entered Waterford (55.5kg) and Geriatrix (54kg), Robusto’s trainer Baker also has Highlights (54kg), and Maher also has St Lawrence (56.5kg) besides Chorlton Lane.
Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees also expects to have a strong hand in The Lakes, nominating Almania (55kg) along with Spangler and last week’s Belle of the Turf placegetter Pier Pressure (54kg
each). The only other provincial entry is Hawkesbury husband and wife trainers’ Jason Attard and Lucy Keegan-Attard’s Luvoir (54kg).
Acceptances for all races will be taken at 9am on Wednesday, and Wyong Race Club can run 14 horses in The Lakes, with provision for four emergencies if there are sufficient acceptances.
The rail will be in the TRUE position for Wyong’s first ever Saturday stand-alone metropolitan
meeting, and the track is currently a “Good 4”.
“I’m delighted with both the numbers and quality of entries for the Wyong Leagues Group The Lakes,” Wyong general manager Greg Purcell said today.
“It shapes as being a terrific race and an excellent betting affair in the inaugural year. We are expecting some rain midweek, which will save us watering and the track is in superb order. There has been terrific interest in our first stand-alone program, and we’re looking forward to a great day.”
Nominations for four supporting races on the 10-race card have been extended until 11am on Tuesday.
They are the Benchmark 100 Handicap (1350m) which currently has 12 entries, Benchmark 88
Handicap (2100m) with 10 entries, Benchmark 78 Handicap (1100m) with 11 nominations, and 2YO Handicap (1200m) with 15 nominations.
Story by John Curtis, 6 January, 2025. Photo by Bradley Photos.
Comments