Trainer Neil Godbolt said Monday’s Santa Comes Early on December 21 Benchmark 70 Handicap over 1007m at Taree was “the last race around the bush for her.

“I might have to look for a fillies and mares race in town for her,” he said.

The pocket-rocket mare will be lumping top-weight as she strives to make it eight wins,also having seven placings,at her 20th start at Taree.

Her two runs this campaign have resulted in two seconds, one at the Kempsey Cup meeting and the latest to Queenslander Val’s Boy over 1100m at Grafton on November 24.

“She has been very honest but being not that big she has had to carry too much weight compared to her opposition.

“Any rain won’t worry her as she likes a bit of sting out of the ground.”

Yupik is up against strong opposition of winners and recent placegetters from various districts but she should be ready at her third run back from a spell.

The only concern is that in two starts at the track she has not won but placed twice.

She has abundant speed to be in the firing line all the way from her perfect barrier on a track which visiting trainers, such as Greg Bennett from Scone, have described as “superb,” despite the drought.

Yupik’s biggest danger could be Scone seven-year-old mare In Top Gear, trained by last season’s leading country mentor Luke Griffith, which has been living up to her name with wins at her past two starts  over 1100m on her home track.

Newcastle trainer Todd Howlett has a top hope with four-year-old gelding Esgrimidor which scored first-up from a spell over 900m at Newcastle on November 16 and beat Felines which has raced well at this track in the past.

The gelding has won three of its past four starts and adds plenty of interest to the race,another being Tamworth visitor, five-year-old mare Turning Grey, trained by Craig Martin who rarely comes down the mountain, the galloper having won four of its past six races and was second to In Top Gear last start.

Godbolt also has a strong hope with another top-weight in Delagos in the Conferences At The Winning Post Function Centre Benchmark 55 Handicap over 1412m.

The five-year-old gelding was given the run of the race back on the fence but this brought the galloper undone over 1400m at this track last start when beaten into seventh by Coffs Harbour gelding Before You Think.

“If he got the run, he wins - but he was blocked on the fence,” Godbolt said.

He said that Delagos hadn’t missed “a beat” in training since.

Despite the gelding’s big impost, it meets a field of similar ability as last time.

Before that Delagos finished best on his home track to score over 1206m from Bridgeview Babe.

Also some chance is Godbolt’s Don’t Mean Maybe in the Welcome New Members Class 3 Handicap over 1257m.

The galloper has put in a couple of ordinary runs because she finds it difficult in slow run races early to make up ground and then needs a lot of luck.

This will be Don’t Mean Maybe’s fifth run this campaign  and she won’t lack fitness.

ONE of the better races on the strong card at the Taree-Wingham meeting on Monday is the Weddings At The Winning Post Function Centre Benchmark 65 Handicap over 2018m.

Last season’s top country trainer, Luke Griffith, of Scone, nominated three gallopers for the event but has gone with five-year-old mare All That Excites and four-year-old gelding Space Invader as his starters in the capacity field.

All That Excites won over 2300m at Muswellbrook before a 3.8 lengths seventh over 1850m at Newcastle on November 16 whereas his other galloper won over 2200m at Scone before a third to race rival, Tamworth’s Code Word over 2100m at Tamworth.

Hardest for all to beat will be five-year-old mare Deb’s Home, trained at Gosford by Tony Newing, which was an excellent third in a $25,000 race at Goulburn after wins at Gosford over 2100m and 1600m.

Wauchope trainer Colt Prosser will be hoping that second-starter Gone Romin can improve on its first-up third at this track last meeting in the Wingham Beef Exports Raceday On January 6 Maiden Hndicap over 1007m.

Doug Ryan’s selections:

Race 1: Gone Romin 1, Secret Web 2, Lohgairo 3.

Race 2: Yupik 1, In Top Gear 2, Esgrimidor 3.

Race 3: Snitzel’s Lass 1, Lucky Few 2, Bold Life 3.

Race 4: Paronella 1, Tamburello 2, Anuradha 3.

Race 5: Deb’s Home 1, Space Invader 2, All That Excites 3.

Race 6: Star Of Legs 1, Hawaii Kiki 2, Gone Platinum 3.

Race 7: Hammoon Boy 1, Admiral Ruff 2, Lunar Snitzel 3.

Race 8: Delagos 1, Rigamarole 2, Before You Think 3.