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Wyong trainer Kristen Buchanan will test her talented staying-bred three-year-old Fioprospero over the longer journey at Sunday’s Wyong Race Club meeting. The lightly raced son of Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente has only had five starts and a Class 1 1600m event at Kembla is the furthest the gelding has raced.
On Sunday Fioprospero will contest the opening event, the 2100m TAB.COM.AU Class 1 Maiden Plate with Lee Magorrian in the saddle. First-up this prep Magorrian was aboard the horse when he came from near last to win a 1400m Newcastle Maiden by 1.38 lengths running away.
Last start, however, was a career-best for Fioprospero when he flashed home late down the Newcastle straight to finish third 0.93 of a length from the winner Imatruestar in a 1500m Benchmark 64 Handicap on January 11.
There is little doubt the Chris Waller-trained Kiwi Unusual Legacy should have won the race but the Buchanan gallopers run was outstanding. This is a lovely race for Fioprospero and from barrier two over the long trip he may race closer. Kristen Buchanan has six runners at Sunday's meeting.
South Coast filly Fugitiva has bright prospects in the Sky Channel Provincial Maiden Handicap (1350m). The 3yo trained by Robert and Luke Price will be ridden by the stable's former star apprentice Brock Ryan and the rails barrier is gold. Fugitiva has had three starts and she has raced well in all three.
On debut at Kembla on December 14 she flashed home to finish second less than a length from the winner Katsumoto in a 1200m maiden. She struck a heavy 10 Kembla track second-up and wasn't comfortable in the going when fourth.
The Price boys brought her to Wyong last start on January 18 and her run when runner-up to the speedy Norton Road over 1200m was very good. Fugitiva was near last at the '800' and got within 2.13 lengths of the winner which has a rap on it. The longer trip on Sunday is ideal.
The Snowden stable has a good chance of winning the 1000m Class 1 Best Wishes WRC Trainer Stephen 'Crusher' Farley with Deep Field colt Fire Star to be ridden for the first time by Josh Parr. The 3yo won a Wyong Maiden leading all the way as a long odds-on favourite on debut in August.
He led and finished down the course in the San Domenico second-up before a spell. In two metropolitan starts in January, Fire Star has been runner-up and he hit the line strong after racing keen early both times.
RACE 1, TAB.COM.AU CLASS 1 & MAIDEN PLATE, 2100m: Fioprospero certainly bred to stay being a son of Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente steps up to the longer journey for the first time. His form this prep has been outstanding with a Newcastle win first-up and an eye-catching placing last start in a stronger race at Newcastle. Tell Me Ma ran on strong to win a 1900m Gosford Maiden on January 12 and Lady Brulee bolted in at Tamworth last start.
SELECTIONS: 1 FIOPROSPERO, 5 TELL ME MA, 2 LADY BRULEE
RACE 2, HUCKEL EXCAVATIONS CLASS 1 HANDICAP 1600m: Gardenzio is racing well and he is on his home track from barrier one. In two of his three runs this prep he has led over shorter courses and last start on January 13 was nailed on the line. Koby Jennings has ridden the horse in all three starts this prep and he has the mount on Thursday. The 1600m trip is the query. Sovereign Dane led throughout to win at Newcastle second-up on January 11 and he will be hard to beat. Outakandy was impressive leading all the way at Kembla last start.
SELECTIONS: 1 GARDENZIO, 3 SOVEREIGN DANE, 4 OUTAKANDY
RACE 3, SKY CHANNEL PROVINCIAL MAIDEN, 1350m: South Coast filly Fugitiva deserves to break through after creditable performances in all three starts to date. She has got no speed and has come from last or near last for two seconds and a fourth. In her only Wyong start on January 18, the filly was 10 lengths off the lead and flashed home to finish second behind the speedy Norton Road. Shigeru has been placed in six of nine starts and from the positive barrier she won't be far off the lead. Cup Of Ambition was run down late at Taree last start.
SELECTIONS: 4 FUGITIVA, 2 SHIGERU, 8 CUP OF AMBITION
RACE 4, WYONG LEAGUES GROUP MAIDEN PLATE, 1200m: Countyourblessings has the best form and Josh Parr rides for John O'Shea. An I Am Invincible filly she finished second in two of her three starts at Wyong and Kembla in August and September. She won a recent Rosehill trial and should overcome an adverse barrier. Khaznah is on debut after a number of trials and she won a Gosford trial recently. Koby Girl bolted in with a recent Canterbury trial.
SELECTIONS: 5 COUNTYOURBLESSINGS, 8 KHAZNAH, 9 KOBY GIRL
RACE 5, CARLTON & UNITED BREWERIES MAIDEN PLATE 1200m: Kerguelen is a son of Lonhro trained by James Cummings is on debut and has gun apprentice Zac Lloyd aboard. He was very strong late when narrowly beaten in a recent Warwick Farm trial. The 3yo has drawn nicely. Edited By made up good ground when a close fourth first-up at Gosford on New Year's Eve and he has trialled okay since. Eastern Front come from way back when placed at Gosford first-up recently.
SELECTIONS: 7 KERGUELEN, 6 EDITED BY, 5 EASTERN FRONT
RACE 6, BEST WISHES WRC TRAINER STEPHEN 'CRUSHER' FARLEY CLASS 1 HANDICAP, 1000m: Fire Star looks a good thing in this race. He has been runner-up in two metropolitan races this prep after racing keen early. The 3yo drops in class after a powerful finishing second behind boom galloper The Black Cloud on the Kensington Track on January 17. South of India is very quick as evidenced by his all-the-way 900m win at Newcastle last start. Massira won a recent Warwick Farm trial.
SELECTIONS: 1 FIRE STAR, 6 SOUTH OF INDIA, 2 MASSIRA
RACE 7, DE BORTOLI WINES BENCHMARK 64 HANDICAP, 1300m: Mirra Impact from the Snowden stable is lightly raced but promising. He came from worse than midfield to win a Newcastle Maiden in July and his only other start at Wyong on January 6 was an eye-catcher. He came from last in a field of 11 at the 400 when a close fourth to stablemate Kadall. Another good mount for Josh Parr. Selfless Act was impressive winning at Gosford last start while King's Duty can improve.
SELECTIONS: 11 MIRRA IMPACT, 5 SELFLESS ACT, 15 KING'S DUTY
