Taree apprentice Mollie Fitzgerald shared her first Rising Star Series winner with Newcastle’s Benjamin Osmond in a thrilling finish at Grafton today.

Newcastle trainer Kris Lees has a terrific strike-rate at the Taree track and he likes the chances of a couple of runners among those he will take there to Sunday’s races.

With decisive recent victories at the circuit under his belt and conditions made to measure, Heir Apparent is poised to take the next step in the Janice Avery Memorial Handicap at Port Macquarie on Sunday.

Velvet Haze breaks her maiden on debut.