THURSDAY 4 JUNE 2026
By GRAEME WHITE
Experience can count for a lot in two-year-old races, but throw in a heavy track and there are many unknowns to the line-up for the Harvey Norman The Lamont Classic 2yo (1200m) at Wagga on Thursday.
Add to this five debutants plus three others having their second race starts and it’s clear the annual winter feature is as open as it has ever been.
Canberra trainer Nick Olive has produced three two-year-old winners this season with Bar Jester being the first, followed by Star Of Lily and Voynichese.
Star Of Lily ($5 NSW TAB) and debutant Termeilian ($71) will start for him in the Lamont Classic with the former right in contention and the equal most experienced runner in the race with three starts.
Star Of Lily won first-up from a spell at her second career start before running ninth at Sandown.
Olive said there were excuses for Star Of Lily and he expects her to bounce back although the heavy track is new territory.
“She got a bit lost in Melbourne. She is going great and I expect him to be right in it, but the wet track is the question,” he said.
“She has the experience which is worth a fair bit. I bought her and Voynichese at the Magic Millions and Termeilian was bred by her owner Ralph Tierney.
“Ralph has had a lot of horses with me over many years including Oneforian (5 wins) and Craft (4 wins).”
Termeilian is named after the village Termeil where Tierney has his horses.
“She is ready to start and will be better for the experience,” Olive suggested.
Wagga mentor Gary Colvin has a similar theory with his representatives Borata’s Girl ($$26) and Largo Larrikan ($41).
Borata’s Girl was placed at her first two starts before finishing sixth at her next run behind Better Off Alone at Wagga on April 30.
She has had five weeks between starts, and like Star Of Lily, has the race track experience plus the home track advantage where she has had all of her starts.
“She had a few excuses last start. She has done well since and the 1200 metres will suit her more than the 1000 metres she has been running over,” he said.
Kembla Grange visitor Mr Peasant ($14) is first-up off a break and was bred by Kooringal Stud which the Lamont family operate.
Mr Peasant ran last on debut at Randwick in December before finishing fourth to Bar Jester in the Clan O’Sullivan at Canberra.
The youngster has been gelded since his last start and his chances will depend on how he handles the wet track.
“It’s the unknown with a lot of them. The owner Nelson Wu has had a lot of horses with us including his dam Miss Scorcher,” he said.
Miss Scorcher won five races including a prelude of the Wagga Town Plate in 2020.
Debutants The Local ($3.40) and Ultimate Warrior ($2.60 fav) have performed well at the trials and have opened short in betting.
Another first starter Sunquist ($12) finished second in her trial and is by leading sire The Autumn Sun.
Andres Girl ($6.50) ran a huge race on debut making up many lengths to finish a close second after being well supported.
Twelve months ago, Foreign Encounter won the Lamont Classic for trainer Danny Williams and jockey Blaike McDougall.
