The Wayfarer begins racing journey after impressive trials
A string of exciting sprinters return to the track or make their debut at Monday's feature Scone meeting.
Heading the charge is a debutant three-year-old colt who comes off two impressive trial wins and can further push the somewhat under-rated reputation of Headwater as a sire.
Trainer Rodney Northam brings impressive trial winner The Wayfarer to the races for the first time at Scone.Credit:Getty
The Wayfarer, trained by Rodney Northam and ridden by promising apprentice Reece Jones, steps out in a maiden over 1000m with plenty of buzz around his debut.
He looked to have plenty in reserve across two spaced trial wins and can add to that emerging crop of 2015 group 2 Silver Slipper winner Headwater, whose most recent progeny to salute was Through The Cracks at Newcastle on Saturday, which took that galloper's strike-rate to seven wins from 15 starts.
The Wayfarer will have plenty of company, though, including smart Muswellbrook filly Miss Kojiki second-up and rival Scone three-year-olds Ranuncula, who returns off a freshen-up with blinkers on, and Baiyka, who is also first-up since mid-winter.
High-class locally trained four-year-old Step On Fire returns from the outside draw in a benchmark 66 over the short course a month after his dashing first-up win at Muswellbrook.
The most intriguing runner all day is well-touted four-year-old mare Mother's Mercy, who has her first run for nearly 11 months in a benchmark 58 over 1300m.
Despite not being seen since an impressive maiden win here in late December, Mother's Mercy has trialled in strong fashion and is likely to go off a short-priced favourite.
Trained on the track by Paul Messara, Mother's Mercy is by Redoute's Choice out of the former good race mare Angel Of Mercy, who won at group 3 and listed level in three different states from 27 starts.
Stablemate Lady Patricia is ready to break through at her fourth start in a class 1 handicap (1100m) to close the meeting.
But in what looms as a two-horse sprint showdown, she won't be able to put a foot wrong against smart Tamworth mare The First Of May, who resumes off a runaway trial win at Gunnedah.
Supplied by Racing NSW