Newcastle trainer Kris Lees has entered five horses for the first heat of the Provincial Championshp series at Wyong.
The first of five $100,000 qualifying races on Thursday attracted 19 entries for the 1350m race which has a field limit of 16.
The Lees team is headed by Electric Power, runner-up to the Bede Murray-trained Sure And Fast in the inaugural $400,000 final last year.
Lees' other entries are Powerline, Parraay, Me No Marsh Potato and Game Pie.
Wyong trainer Kim Waugh will be represented by last-start winners Supreme Effort and His Majesty.
The Waugh-trained Oxford Poet filled third place in the 2015 final.
His Majesty is the TAB's $4.60 early favourite for the final on April 9 ahead of his stablemate at $8.