Territory Express has long threatened to put it all together and win a nice race and he could be on the way to that destiny after a dynamic come from behind win in the opening Provincial-Midway Qualifier. Trained by Paul Niceforo, the gelding settled near the back and Zac Lloyd weaved his way through traffic to pounce on the front about 50m out without really asking the question. The up and coming Willaidow, trained by Marc Conners, hit the lead about 150m out after sitting on the speed but had no answer to the winner while Cloudland boxed on for third after leading.

Another home track qualifier success for Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup as Short Shorts made every post a winner to book a second shot at the Final in April. She won a Kembla heat last year before running fifth in that Final. Alysha Collett had to ask the mare to do some work in the early stages to find the lead but once in the premier spot she kept them running and proved all too speedy. The Kris Lees-trained Convincibility stuck to the inside to make his run in the straight and poked through to run second and sure up his place in the Final, just staving off Ross McConville's C'mon Mate.

It was widely expected Tavi Time would confirm his favouritism for the Final with a first-up win on his home track and that's how it played out. After doing some early work wide to find a spot just off the speed, Aaron Bullock had the gelding travelling strongly and when he hit the lead about 300m out he hadn't gone for the Kris Lees trained galloper. He put four lengths on his rivals easing up on the line. The Paul Perry-trained Nosey Parker settled behind Tavi Time in the run and while he couldn't go with the winner he worked home nicely to snatch second and earn his place in the Final just ahead of Vain Invader, trained by Theresa Bateup.

It's long been Kim Waugh's plan to set Shadows Of Love for the Championships and the talented mare delivered a comfortable win after enjoying the right run just behind the speed. She took a little winding up but once she hit top gear she put the race away in a few strides and heads to Randwick two from two this campaign. She had a Kris Lees duo chasing her home and it was Willinga Beast who, despite a wide run, ran into second place and into the final just ahead of Willinga Freefall running on from near the tail on the turn.

At his first run since August and first for new trainer Brad Widdup, Ruby Flyer struck thanks to a clever ride by apprentice Zac Wadick. The five-year-old settled near last on the fence in the early stages and followed the favourite Victory Lane into the straight. From there Wadick timed the run so the gelding hit the lead inside the 50m and get the job done. Runner-up Victory Lane, trained by Robert & Luke Price, also qualifies for the Final at his second attempt for this year. Well Timed finished a close third.

Few things had gone right for Ausbred Flirt in her autumn campaign but nothing went wrong for her as she raced into the Final with a dominant Wyong win. Alysha Collett took full advantage of an inside gate to have the mare in a stalking position coming to the turn, she eased into the clear and put the race away quickly and handed Brad Widdup his third winner in this year's series. On the other extreme, runner-up Strait Acer had to go around every horse from his outside gate and the Edward Cummings-trained galloper arrived right on the line to snare the second qualifying spot just ahead of Angara.

Jarrod Austin's mare Terra Mater was a revelation in the summer months and she made up for a luckless first-up fourth in the Gosford qualifier as she forced her way into the Final with her Wild Card win. Nash Rawiller had the mare position not far off the speed and after some early bumping at the top of the straight she took an inside run nearing the 200m and dashed through to hit the lead. There were chasers but the four-year-old established enough of a break to hold off the Kris Lees duo of Willinga Freefall, who had traffic problems, and Baltic Coast with all three horses making their way to Randwick.

James McDonald would have known pre-race that he’d need to produce a perfect ride to guide Spangler home in the Polytrack Provincial-Midway Championships Final and that’s exactly what he did. After jumping from gate 15, McDonald had the grey on the fence and he pinched ground along the inside before switching off heels in the straight. The gelding exploded past the leaders and found almost five lengths to give trainer Kris Lees his fifth win in the series decider. It was a Lees quinella with Loch Eagle charging down the outside from near last on the turn in a reversal of the Wild Card result. Brad Widdup’s $101 chance Cross The Rubicon blew the start by a couple of lengths but followed Spangler through to claim third.