Preview: Wenty Park Thursday

15:02 14 July 2026
GRNSW News
Neil Staines nominated three of his team for WP on Thursday night and believed they were capable of giving him a winning treble.

But his representatives, Galba Model (box two), Royal Bandit (box seven) and Galba Major (box eight) will meet in the WP Sports Bar Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.

Staines, based in Yass, is enjoying his most successful year, and said: "Galba Model is well boxed because she has good early pace and likes the fence.


"But Galba Major is the quickest of my trio and all being equal if I had to have a bet my money would be on him.

"Galba Major might be the fastest but he doesn't like too much competition in the early stages and I'm worried his kennelmate, Royal Bandit, might go with him early and bring him unstuck.''

Staines' three starters have won a dozen races at WP with Galba Major's personal best time of 29.55 shading Galba Model (29.60) and Royal Bandit (29.64).

Each has gone quick to the first mark, with Galba Major's 5.37 ahead of Royal Bandit (5.40) and Galba Model (5.42).

But the draw appear to favour Galba Model.

Status Jewel hit and cut her head on the starting box when she finished down the course at her most recent Wentworth Park start but is drawn to notch her seventh win in nine outings at headquarters on Thursday night.

Status Jewel is well positioned out wide in box seven in the Gosford to WP fifth grade 520m final, but although she needs to nail the start according to trainer Brian Barrington.

"This is a red hot Gosford to Wenty final,'' Barrington said.

He is entitled to that belief as Red Hot Tina (box two) and has won seven from 10 races while Gypsy Ibrox (box four) has had four wins and two seconds from eight appearances.

Status Jewel finished seventh after her starting box mishap at WP on June 27 but led quickly before winning her Gosford 515m heat on July 7 in 29.33, fastest time of the night.

Red Hot Tina won her heat in 29.61 while Gypsy Ibrox scored in 29.72.

Brian Barrington said: "Status Jewel finished with a decent gash on her head after her last Wenty start, when she tried to anticipate the lids lifting and struck the starting box.

"On Thursday she is well positioned in box seven, because she likes to use a bit of the track.

"But I'm starting to think she might be better off in six or eight, because the even numbers go into the boxes after the odds numbered draws.

"The longer Status Jewel is in the boxes the more excited she gets and I believe that might be why she hit her head at her last WP run.''

Charlie Riccio, who trained fan favourite Mr Pupparazzi, a winner of 13 races in 2017 and 2018 and an SA Derby finalist, has a promising youngster in Voulez Vroom, who has box one in Thursday night's We Stand With Tasmania Maiden, 520m.

Voulez Vroom made her debut at WP last Thursday when she finished an unlucky fourth, from box eight, beaten six lengths by the winner, Lady Llorona.

Voulez Vroom's run was full of merit as she was keen to find the rails after jumping well and struck severe interference in the early stages.

She went to the line tenaciously and with the benefit of that race experience and the shift from the extreme outside alley to what looks to be an ideal box one draw, she could be the best value bet of the night.

The safest bet looms as Sin City Bandit, who has box two in the gapnsw.com.au 720m fifth grade, but she will be long odds-on after winning her past two WP 720m assignments by a total of 22 lengths.

Better odds will be Zipping Ruger, who has box one in the Sponsor a Race @ Wenty 520m fifth grade.

Zipping Ruger had no luck when second, from box five, to Row Beau at WP on July 4 and clocked a sizzling 29.36 while wearing the red box one rug at WP on May 7.

Best Bet: Zipping Ruger (race 9)
Best Value: Voulez Vroom (race 1)

Quaddie 
Race 5 - 2, 7
Race 6 - 6, 5, 1
Race 7 - 1, 5, 4
Race 8 - 1, 2, 8
$20 for 37.03%