By Craig Kerry
Local apprentice Anna Roper is taking the wet weather as a good omen as she chases wins at Wyong’s first stand-alone city meeting on Saturday.
Roper, who grew up on the Central Coast and is apprenticed to Wyong trainer Damien Lane, has seven rides on the card, including a lightweight opportunity in the feature $500,000 The Lakes (1600m) aboard Super Helpful.
Jockey Anna Roper is back riding at city level after a tough run with injuries in 2024.Credit: Getty Images
The six-year-old is a last-start Nowra Cup winner, has three victories from six runs in heavy going and has just 52 kilograms for The Lakes, which looks set to be held on a rain-affected track after consistent rain midweek and forecasts of more to come.
Super Helpful, trained by Barbara Joseph and Matt and Paul Jones in Canberra, is $17 with Sportsbet, and Roper hopes a wet track will make him an even better chance.
“Super Helpful loves the wet track,” Roper said. “I’m assuming 52 kilos is the reason I’m on it, but I’ll take it.
“It’s an exciting race. It’s good for the locals. I think my whole family will be down there, so it will be good to have them around for it.”
Roper is back riding at city level after a tough run with injuries in 2024. She finished the year with a Boxing Day victory at Randwick with Audette and hopes the Gosford galloper can deliver her a first Saturday city winner since her win aboard Much Much Better in October 2023. The Kylie Gavenlock-trained Audette ($13) runs in the fifth race.
“I think she’s only going to improve going onto a wet track,” Roper said. “She’s even more of a chance. I think a few of mine might like the wet, so I’m not going to chase the rain away.
“It was a little bit hard when I first came back, having so many apprentices trying to get into town, but things have started to roll along a bit better.
“Friday [at Newcastle] and Saturday are looking good. I’ve got a full book at Newcastle, even though I’m down to a kilo and a half in the provincials, so it’s good to still be getting the support.”
Roper’s best chance at Wyong looks to be Edmond ($8) for local trainer Kim Waugh in the second, the Midway handicap.
“I have been galloping him, and he’s been galloping really well,” she said. “Obviously his first two runs were really good, and he likes soft tracks.”
The three-kilogram city claimer rides topweight Hopeful ($23) for trainers Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald in the seventh.
“I’ve tried to have a few rides for Annabel, but they’ve ended up scratching a few times, so it would be nice to finally jump on one,” Roper said.
“Obviously, they are a very exciting stable to be riding for; they are going well, so to have my foot in the door there would be nice.”
Nipotino ($21), for Goulburn trainer Danielle Seib in the Highway Handicap, is another first for Roper.
“Danielle’s got a super record with the Highways and I don’t think I’ve ever ridden for her,” she said.
“A family friend of ours, Pat Cohen, has a share in him, so that’s the main reason I’m on. He’s on the board at Wyong Race Club, so he’s very excited about it.”
The 22-year-old’s other mounts are outsider Pluckten ($71) in the sixth for her boss and Skye Banner ($126) in the ninth for another local trainer, Brett Partelle.
“I’ve won two on Pluckten, and he loves the wet as well, so with a few scratchings, he might come right into it,” she said.
