A John Thompson-trained three-year-old with Group form looks the standout bet at Kembla on Saturday, with double-figure odds enticing for a Chris Waller-trained galloper.
The Thompson-trained Thy Kingdom Come will be chasing his first career win when the three-year-old son of Lope de Vega lines up in the Gary Portelli Maiden Plate (1600m).
Thy Kingdom Come is yet to finish in the placings from his four career starts but the colt contested the Listed Breeder's Plate on debut at Randwick in his only first preparation run before taking on Group III company in the Canonbury Stakes and Pago Pago in two runs last time in.
Thompson chose the Group III Ming Dynasty (1400m) for Thy Kingdom Come's first-up run this time in.
Although well beaten in three of the runs, Thy Kingdom Come's effort in the Pago Pago when less than three lengths from the winner Single Bullet is a solid form reference for a provincial set-weights maiden.
Thy Kingdom Come looks suited stepping up to the mile and gets his chance to win a race substantially down in grade.
Nothing went right for the Waller-trained Cedarwood on debut and a sharp improvement is on the cards second-up in the Deanne Panya Maiden Handicap (1200m).
A three-year-old son of Your Song, Cedarwood copped a bump on the first turn and was forced to race three-wide without cover over the 1300m first-up and the run had more merit than what would appear on paper.
Cedarwood trialled nicely leading into his debut run racing handy to the speed and is expected to be more forward in the run on Saturday.
Cedarwood was ridden by an apprentice on debut and eased from $7.50 to $14.
The booking for senior rider Grant Buckley on Saturday looks a positive lead and $15 in early betting markets looks genuine each-way value.
