‘He is very adaptable’: No fears at Wyong for Yorkshire from trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton

Trainer Tom Charlton is confident Yorkshire is ready to take another significant step in his seamless development when he leads the stable assault at Wyong on Saturday.

Trainer Tom Charlton is confident Yorkshire is ready to take another significant step in his seamless development when he leads the stable assault at Wyong on Saturday.

Yorkshire has made a highly-promising start to his racing career with three victories and two placings from his first five starts.

He is expected to further enhance that brilliant record in the Royal Hotel Wyong Benchmark 78 Handicap (1350m) in which he is the $1.75 favourite.

Yorkshire was only narrowly beaten first-up from a spell when edged out by Accredited at Royal Randwick last month with the winner going on to salute again since.

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Charlton, who trains alongside John O’Shea, is tipping he can go one better on the Central Coast with Billy Loughnane aboard.

“Yorkshire has always been a really nice horse,” he said.

“He just met a bit of a setback during his two-year-old season and has been a bit behind with his racing.

“He had a faultless campaign last time and returned well, doing nothing wrong in defeat behind Accredited, a well performed horse that has franked the form.

“We are really happy with him. We think he has a good season ahead of him and is very adaptable.”

O’Shea and Charlton are content to keep bringing Yorkshire steadily through his grades but believe bigger things are ahead for the son of Snitzel.

“He has got to prove it but we would be disappointed if he couldn’t get to a slightly better grade,” Charlton said.

“Maybe Open class in time.”

⚠️ Protest 2nd Yorkshire (13) v 1st Accredited (9) https://t.co/v9X1UkqWX1

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 21, 2024

• EXPERT TIPS: Professional punter James Molony’s race-by-race tips and analysis for Wyong on Saturday

Yorkshire is joined in the same event by stablemate Ravello ($18), who had a short freshen-up midway through this preparation with O’Shea and Charlton keen to head to New Zealand for the Karaka Millions later this month.

The son of Savabeel was down to run at Warwick Farm on Wednesday but was scratched when the track continued to get downgraded in the rain.

“Ravello has been a bit frustrating,” Charlton said.

“He drew badly last weekend and then we also had him in on Wednesday and probably isn’t a fan of the heavy tracks.

“We put him aside because he is aiming to get to a race at the Karaka Millions where all his owners are well connected.

“He will more than likely to have run despite the ground because it’s a key stepping stone for him.”

The well backed Ravello gets the cash for @mcacajamez and @JohnOSheaRacing! pic.twitter.com/wMPcqqT1dz

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 25, 2024

• Tips from the big bookies for Saturday, January 11

Apprentice Zac Wadick will get the chance to pilot Inquiring Minds in the De Bortoli Wines Benchmark 88 Handicap (2100m).

Inquiring Minds ($7.50) has also been racing in sensational form with two wins from three starts this preparation and steps out over a trip for the first time in Australia.

“Inquiring Minds has got form over a mile-and-a-half in England but we always thought he would be better suited to slightly less at this stage,” Charlton said.

“This will be the first time he gets up to 2100m for us.

“We think it will suit well. He is another adaptable horse that races in a good position and has a nice racing pattern.

“There is no reason why he won’t be competitive again.”

Inquiring Minds splits the middle and gets it done in a photo finish! 📸@JohnOSheaRacingpic.twitter.com/r7M6fYM6qu

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 28, 2024

• Shayno & Duff’s tips, race-by-race analysis for Wyong on Saturday: $4.60 best bet

O’Shea and Charlton are both in Queensland for the Magic Millions Yearling Sale and could have two runners on feature race day at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Hell To Pay would need a scratching as the first emergency in the $3 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m) while Countyourblessings will line up in the $1 million Magic Millions Fillies and Mares (1300m).

Countyourblessings put together three straight wins last preparation before she had excuses in her first-up assignment in the Listed Nudgee Stakes.

Jockey Tommy Berry has been set a task after Countyourblessings drew wide for the feature event.

“All her wins last season where when we rode her patiently,” Charlton said.

“I guess the way the track plays on the day might be significant.

“It’s not ideal but she is definitely capable at this level. First up she had excuses, she got badly knocked into and had a few knocks and cuts that affected her.

“But she wasn’t beaten far and meets some similar horses on Saturday.”

Fav punters, start counting!

Countyourblessings wins at Doomben thanks to a great ride by Cody Collis!@JohnOSheaRacing | @BrisRacingClubpic.twitter.com/0yg9EIbJAE

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 5, 2024

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WET weather hasn’t dampened the mood around the Wyong Race Club as it prepares to host its biggest ever meeting this Saturday with the inaugural $500,000 The Lakes day card.

While fellow provincial clubs Newcastle, Kembla Grange, Gosford and Hawkesbury all now host Saturday feature meetings every season, Wyong has waited patiently for a big money feature to call their own.

The club finally gets the chance to have its day in the limelight with the 10-race stand-alone metropolitan card, bolstered by the state’s newest half million dollar mile.

Not long now 👇 #thelakes#wyongracespic.twitter.com/g493RaARmM

— Wyong Race Club (@WyongRaceClub) January 9, 2025

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“It’s going to be our biggest ever race meeting,” Wyong Race Club chief executive Greg Purcell said.

“We have more than $1.8 million in prizemoney on offer including the $500,000 Wyong Leagues Group The Lakes.

“We are just appreciative of Racing NSW. We made an application which Peter (V’landys) and Graeme (Hinton) supported so that was great.”

The Lakes day coincides with the lucrative Gold Coast Magic Millions race day on Saturday which will be headlined by the $3 million 2YO Classic and $3 million 3YO Guineas.

Fittingly, Wyong hosts two of the crucial lead up races for both events every December.

“We have had the Magic Millions 2YO race in December for the past 22 years,” Purcell said.

“We have had Farnan, Capitalist, Snitzel and Not A Single Doubt win that and go onto bigger things but the middle of January with plenty of people on holidays on the Central Coast, we are hoping for a big walk up crowd.

“Our corporate hospitality is either sold out or at a maximum but we still have some options left available.”

The Ingham winner headlines the field for the inaugural $500,000 The Lakes at Wyong this Saturday. It's a field of 14, here's the barrier draw for the 1600m feature 👇 pic.twitter.com/hwa8PO1gy6

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) January 7, 2025

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It’s hoped Wyong will race in the soft range on race day with some rain forecast on Saturday across the Central Coast.

Purcell said track manager Phil Robinson had the surface in tip top order.

“We have probably had more Good 4 tracks than any other track in the last 18 months,” he said.

“(On Friday) the track was a soft 6 on the circuit and a soft 5 down the chute and it is likely to be in that 5 to 7 range depending on the extent of the rain we get.”

Race goers will be entertained by Jellybean Jam after the last while there will be a grand parade after race four with the Australian Light Horse and local pony clubs.