A “VERY CONSISTENT” SURFACE FOR GOSFORD’S THE COAST PROGRAM

WITH continuing fine weather forecast, experienced Gosford course manager Steve Scollard is looking forward to presenting a ‘Good 4’ track on Saturday.

This will be the sixth annual running of The Coast metropolitan stand-alone meeting – and the first to be run on a now fully renovated circuit.

Following the completion of an earlier major infrastructure project in 2024 which saw the home turn re-cambered to a gradient of six per cent to maximise competitive racing, along with remediation of the reverse camber in the home straight and removal of undulations in the track, further major work was carried out last spring on the remainder of the track.

“We cut right back to the soil profile from the 1600m to 650m going clockwise, and then did extensive drainage work on that section,” Scollard said today.

“The club transferred one meeting to Hawkesbury whilst the work was being carried out, and the track has played really well since resuming on November 6 with an eight-race program.

“Prior to that work being done, we would sometimes race on a ‘Soft 7’ in the back straight and the rest of the track was either a 4 or 5.

“Now it is a very consistent surface for the entire circumference, and as a result this will be best track The Coast meeting has been conducted on.”

Wet weather forced Gosford to transfer the 2024 The Coast meeting to Newcastle, and last year’s 10-race card was staged on a ‘Soft 7’.

“The weather leading up to Saturday has been very kind to us,” Scollard said.

“I put 2mm of irrigation on the track on Tuesday, and will have another look tomorrow to see if it requires anything further.

“The forecast temperature for Saturday is 22 degrees with no rain, and that will be perfect.

“It would be a ‘Good 4’ if we were racing today, and provided the good weather stays the way it is, nothing will change.”

Sydney trainer John Sargent won the inaugural running of The Coast in 2021 with Brandenburg (Regan Bayliss), and again with Palmetto (Kerrin McEvoy) in 2023.

Newcastle’s Kris Lees took the 2022 edition with Rustic Steel (Jay Ford), whilst Victorians Leon and Troy Corstens were successful with Magnaspin (Tom Sherry) when the 2024 renewal was run at Newcastle.

Scone’s Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich won last year’s The Coast with Know Thyself (Ash Morgan).

RacingNSW stewards have approved Adam Hyeronimus declaring 0.5kg over the allotted 56.5kg on Lord Penman in the $500,000 Listed The Coast (1600m).

Also, they have pointed out that although New Zealand sprinter Sweynesday (Andrew Adkins) will appear as gelded in the gear changes’ report for the $250,000 Listed Takeover Target Stakes (1200m), he has previously raced as a gelding back home.

Tuned is currently the sole withdrawal from the Takeover Target.

Cristal Clear has been withdrawn from the $500,000 Listed The Coast (1600m) with a vet certificate, and Etna Rosso, Plymouth and Les Vampires are absentees from the $300,000 Listed Gosford Gold Cup (2100m), providing emergencies Black Run, Kind Words and Our Gold Hope with starts.

Leading Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup and jockey Rachel King combined with lightly-raced Like A Surgeon to score at Wyong today, and hope for a repeat with Sunset Park at Gosford on Saturday.

But Widdup had been hoping for rain to soften the track for the mare in the $300,000 Gold Cup.

Like A Surgeon, a five-year-old daughter of Winning Rupert and the now deceased Canny Lad mare Nunya Bizz, has now won both her starts.

“I bought Tintookie (who won five races, including three at Royal Randwick before sadly going amiss on Golden Slipper day at Rosehill Gardens two years ago and being euthanased) two years ago from Like A Surgeon’s breeder-owner Ralph Tierney as a yearling,” Widdup said this evening.

“He then gave me two horses to train; Like A Surgeon (by Winning Rupert) and Mind Ya Bizz (by Heroic Valour), who are both closely related to Tintookie.

“Mind Ya Bizz is a three-year-old and has been placed at two of her four starts, whilst Like A Surgeon is a five-year-old.

“I trialled her twice in 2023, but she was shin sore and went back to Ralph and I didn’t think we would see her again until he sent her back to me as an unraced five-year-old last year.

“Like A Surgeon came from well back to win over 900m at Newcastle on debut last November, and again did a good job win today at her first run back.”

With King aboard, Like A Surgeon ($3.10 favorite) just edged out fellow Hawkesbury trainer Fabio Martino’s Spartus ($9) in the Midway Benchmark 64 Handicap (1000m).

Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees was the other Wyong winner, scoring with $13 chance Siccius in the Provincial Maiden Handicap (1600m).

Ridden by stable apprentice Will Stanley, Siccius led home a rough trifecta, defeating Going By Train ($51) and Highland Lad ($101).

. Leading Kembla Grange trainers Rob and Luke Price won the opener, the Benchmark 66 Handicap (1500m), at Goulburn with Miss Hvar (Brock Ryan) at $4.60.

This was the mare’s third victory, having won at Kembla Grange on debut at $51 in April last year, and at Hawkesbury six months later.

STORY JOHN CURTIS, MAY 7, 2026