Expat a picture of health ahead of Mona Lisa

[Wandering Eyes]

Speedy mare Expat (NZ) (Makfi) rarely exerts herself in trackwork or trials, but Mark Newnham is confident punters will again see the best of her on race day when she resumes at Wyong’s feature meeting of the spring.

The dual stakes winner has finished a sound third in two recent barrier trials ahead of her tilt at the Listed Mona Lisa Stakes (1350m) on Friday when she will bid to take her first-up win record to three from four.

“She has never been a great worker her whole life, but when you put blinkers on her race day and get her out and in competition, she’s pretty good,” Newnham said.

“It looks a nice race to start her off in and second-up she will go into the Golden Pendant.”

Expat will be partnered by her regular rider Tom Sherry, who has an impressive strikerate of almost 22 per cent winners for his former boss.

The Mona Lisa will be Expat’s first start at Wyong and while wary big fields can generate a hectic tempo, Newnham expects the on-pace mare to be suited by the provincial circuit.

“It is a good on-pace horses track but when you get a full field of competitive mares like this race, sometimes it will suit a run-on horse just because of the pressure of the race,” he said.

“But she is pretty well suited most places she goes.

“You’ve got a long run down the back there, she’s a good on-pace type of horse, she handles all ground. She is pretty uncomplicated.”

With Snippy Fox (Foxwedge) a scratching, a field of 16 will line up in the Mona Lisa with Katalin (Medaglia D’Oro) favourite at $3.80, ahead of Queenslander Boomnova (Spirit of Boom) ($6), while Expat and the Chris Waller-trained Sur La Mer (Nicconi) share the third line of betting at $6.50.

Waller looks to have a stranglehold on the Wyong Gold Cup (2100m) with seven of the 11 runners, including Lord Ardmore (NZ) (Reliable Man) who is a solid $2.90 favourite, while three of his other contenders – Toomuchtobear (NZ) (Press Statement), Durston (Sea The Moon) and Yiyi (No Nay Never) – are at $8.50 and under.

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