Newcastle's leading trainer Kris Lees has taken the first heat of the Provincial Championship at Wyong with Just Dreaming ridden by Aaron Bullock.

The first three in Saturday's 1350m race go through to the $500,000 final at Randwick with local trainer Kim Waugh claiming second with Manhattan Mist and Hawkesbury's Brad Widdup third with Witches.

"It was a good win in a funny-run race," Bullock told Sky Thoroughbred Central.

"Kris thought I'd be in the second or third line, but I was a bit further back than that and at the 600 metres I was in a position where I kept getting flushed and flushed and flushed.

"Full credit to her. Kris has taken the blinkers off her this preparation and it's worked wonders.

"It's going to be a pretty good final with these first three in it."