John O’Shea confident Awesome Wonder can live up to her name at Gosford

John O’Shea will send a strong team to Wednesday’s metropolitan meeting at Gosford, headed by import Awesome Wonder in the Pluim Group Benchmark 78 Handicap (2100m).

The former Irish galloper has been in the care of O’Shea for some time and managed to score on a heavy track at her first start for the trainer in a Wyong event just under two years ago.

She was a city winner at Randwick last preparation then resumed from a spell with a solid fourth on the Kensington track behind City Of Lights, a run that gave O’Shea plenty of encouragement.

“It was a good run first-up,” O’Shea said. “She hit the line well enough over 1800m on the back of three lead-up trials to suggest she will appreciate the step up to the 2100 metres at Gosford. Tyler Schiller takes the ride and he’s riding the crest of a wave after winning the Doncaster at the weekend.”

O’Shea kicks off the day with Ladyking and Amnesia contesting the Sneddon Bros Maintenance Super Maiden Handicap (1600m) with Schiller and Chad Schofield taking the respective mounts.

Tom Marquand will ride the resuming O’Shea runner Andalus in the Central Coast Wedding Fair 14th April Benchmark 94 Handicap (1600m), while the jockey will also ride stablemate Captain Amelia in The Coast Raceday 11th May Benchmark 72 Handicap (1200m).

Form galloper Cross Your Heart is O’Shea’s other runner for the day in the Anzac Day Races @ Gosford 3YO Benchmark 64 Handicap (1200m).

“Cross Your Heart ran second on debut and has since looked good winning each of her only other two starts at Wyong,” O’Shea said.

O’Shea thinks Ladyking and Amnesia both have each-way claims in their race, while Andalus is an interesting runner.