Lightly-raced Helsonic will be a major focus for the fact she’s trained by media personality Richard Freedman and part-owned by high profile television presenter Yvonne Sampson.

Sampson’s passion for horses comes from growing up and riding on the Sunshine Coast hinterland.

Aside from her interest in Helsonic, a four-year-old All Too Hard mare, Sampson is in involved in another syndication with star media host Erin Molan, who is also a part-owner of promising Snippet Of Hope trained by Nick Olive and also in El Dorado Mine with Clare Cunningham.

While the public interest will see Helsonic start favourite in the Oak Tree Retirement Village F&M Maiden (1200m), she also offers the best form credentials amidst a modest field.

Last preparation she displayed ability in maidens with far more depth, being placed at Wyong showing speed and also close up at Gosford.

On Saturday, Freedman has placed her perfectly for a break through.

She’s primed resuming off three trials and in a small country field she is drawn in barrier three with 59 kilograms for leading regional rider Mathew Cahill.

“She hasn’t been easy to train, she had an injury before she came to us and we’re just trying to win a race with her,” Freedman told Racing NSW.

“But I think she’s shown enough at the trials.”

Helsonic is well forward off two recent trials at Rosehill Gardens, another at Hawkesbury, and she also trialled extensively last year before her debut. Significantly, Helsonic started $2 favourite in her Wyong third in August.

Freedman’s other runner is maiden stayer Triplicate also to be ridden by Cahill in a Rural Bin Service Class 1 and Maiden (2000m), where he is also ideally placed. He is back to country maiden grade from earlier maiden placings at Kembla and Wyong.

Dubbo trainer Dar Lunn will also saddle up a hope in that race, with Baradine Bound to carry 59kg from barrier seven.

Baradine Bound is extremely deep into this preparation with Saturday’s race marking his 19^th start since resuming from a six-week freshen up in May of this year.

The six-year-old, to be ridden by Daniel Northey, has had little luck during that time and heads to Bathurst with just one win from 45 career starts.

Darren Hyde will saddle up the lone other Dubbo hope at the Bathurst meeting. He will have Recital jumping from gate eight in the Bathurst Toyota Class 2 Handicap (1400m).

Saturday’s meeting will consist of six races, the first one getting underway at 2.06pm.