Newcastle will play host to a ten race card this Saturday, headlined by The Hunter (1300m). The weather is fine, the track is soft (6) and the rail is in the true position for the entire circuit.
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The Hunter 🏆: View the Field and Odds for The Hunter
Race 1. (12:35) Max Lees Classic 900m
3 Good Hotspur (Bet Now: $4.00) looks a good mover for Ryan/Alexiou. He has had two trials to get ready for start one, the latest coming at Rosehill where he gave them a start and a beating, letting down with real purpose and showed good change up speed. Looks prepped right up and finds a thin race.
1 Buffalo (Bet Now: $6.50) is a Written By gelding for David Atkins that is on debut. He trialled here on Oct 22 when winning by a space over the 940m and ran decent time in the process, so he’s had a good grounding, he has home track advantage, will press forward and take beating.
6 Gobi Desert (Bet Now: $9.50) is a Kris Lees trained filly that appears well educated for start one. She trialled at Scone and moved well enough to my eye when running second, beaten a few lengths but seemed to have something in reserve. Home track advantage, she commands respect.
Race 2. (13:10) Bella Group Midway (Bm72) 1600m
5 Harlow Mist (Bet Now: $4.00) looks ready to win. This mare ran in the Four Pillars two weeks ago where she got back off the speed and was held up at times before angling clear and drove late in a good finale in defeat. Hard fit, up to the mile, bigger track, she takes beating.
8 Magnatear (Bet Now: $7.50) has returned well. He resumed a fortnight back at Rosehill when on speed and he kept finding under pressure, but being first up, he just couldn’t quite see it through when run down late by Battleton. Fitter, up in trip, trained on the track, he is a leading chance.
3 Piraeus (Bet Now: $3.50) is racing very well at present for Team Freedman and commands respect off the Four Pillars run where he loomed to win but just couldn’t quite get there when second to Kingston Charm, who had the suck run and finished best. Racing consistently and should be around the mark.
Race 3. (13:45) Tab Highway (C3) 1600m
Host of these come through the Oct 26 Highway at Randwick. 18 Tanglewood (Bet Now: $14.00) Jimmy was one of the real eye catchers from the race, getting back to near last in the run but worked home with real purpose when a close up fourth to Cable Express. If he can settle closer, get a drag into the race, he’ll take holding out.
3 Cable Express (Bet Now: $4.50) won the Highway on Oct 26, helped by a 12/10 by Tommy Berry, driving hard late to get the win in a close finish. Just starting to creep up in the relative weights but he is genuine and this race, as a whole, isn’t much harder vs last time.
15 The Right Rein (Bet Now: $11.00) nearly caused the upset at Randwick in the same Highway but the photo went the way of Cable Express. The win prior at Bathurst, albeit in a thin race. was impressive, and he’ll be strong at the end of a potentially testing mile.
Race 4. (14:20) Nzb Lauren Parker Legend Mile (Bm78) 1600m
If 4 Bullets High (Bet Now: $2.60) does everything right, I think he has a bit on them. He resumed with a bang at Warwick Farm before going to Rosehill where he did a bit wrong in the straight and launched late, but just missed out when second to Battleton. Hard fit and up to the mile, he takes beating.
5 For Victory (Bet Now: $6.00) should appreciate a rise in trip for Chris Waller after resuming over 1300m a fortnight back where he got off the speed in a slowly run race and although he did make up ground, he was never a factor behind Spanish Fox. Maps to settle much closer and with upside, appeals.
6 Captain Furai (Bet Now: $7.00) is third up from a spell and should just about be at peak fitness. He comes through the Battleton race from two weeks back at Rosehill. I thought he had every chance from just off the speed but was quite plain late, much like he was first up, so I say he’s at D-Day but the stable wouldn’t persist if he wasn’t showing something at home.
Race 5. (14:55) Seed People Consulting (Bm78) 1400m
3 Melody Again (Bet Now: $9.00) is flying for Scott Singleton and will take a power of beating here. She comes through the Barn Dance on Cup Day at Randwick where she was back, badly held up at times, but got clear and charged late in defeat. She’s in career best form, back to Mares grade, it could be a case of good luck beating her.
5 Pippie Beach (Bet Now: $2.35) is a leading contender for Chris Waller after racing a fortnight back at Rosehill where she got the sweet sit in transit and presented to win but just couldn’t quite finish the job behind Elettrica. Think with a more genuine tempo and a more patient steer, she’ll be more effective.
1 Bakerloo (Bet Now: $21.00) is one I can entertain at odds. She resumed behind Elettrica two weeks back where she got back to last in the run and in a race dominated on speed, she was never a factor. This looks more within her reach and with home track advantage, I am not sacking her.
Race 6. (15:30) Trans Tasman Trophy (Bm88) 1850m
5 Townsend (Bet Now: $7.00) looks to have returned really well for GaiBott and is one of the key threats after a game second at Randwick three weeks ago where he got front end control and tried hard but was nabbed late by Sounds Of Heaven. With front end control, he takes running down.
9 Premise (Bet Now: $8.00) is knocking on the door for O’Shea/Charlton. She was runner up on the Kenso last time, bumping into track specialist Tympanist, but was still good in defeat. The rise in trip looks ideal, should get decent cover and be strong late.
4 Regal Lion (Bet Now: $23.00) might need another run and a further rise in trip but he does have a touch of quality about him. He resumed behind Sounds Of Heaven three weeks ago where he just got too far back in the run and in a slowly run race, was never really a factor. Better set up here, he’s an improver.
Race 7. (16:05) Spring Stakes 1600m
1 Althoff (Bet Now: $4.40) is a working progress I feel for Chris Waller and he has found a very winnable race IMO. He comes through the Callander-Presnell where he got back off the speed and while he was never a winning threat, he kept finding the line and was pretty good in defeat. Back to this level, can settle closer, takes beating.
2 Alabama State (Bet Now: $3.60) is hard to beat if there is petrol left in the tank. He was mighty in defeat last time in the Four Pillars, sitting wide throughout yet loomed to win. Just couldn’t quite get there. Maps to get a much better run in transit and the rise in trip is ideal.
7 Totoka (Bet Now: $27.00) has home track advantage and looks set for the race. Real eye catcher in a Midway two back before going to the Callander-Presnell where she got to near last in the run and failed to get involved. This looks more to her liking and with home track advantage, she’s a threat at odds.
Race 8. (16:45) The Hunter 1300m
I am saying 7 Coastwatch (Bet Now: $27.00) will be running really well here. He had two runs at Caulfield, the latest in the Moonga where he wasn’t happy on the shifty track. The concern is the rain forecast because he is a dry tracker but the trial was sharp and Newcastle copes with rain better than any other track in NSW. Hopefully the track can dry out for him.
14 Briasa (Bet Now: $2.60) has a tricky gate to overcome but he is the most progressive galloper in the race. He didn’t beat much on the Kenso last time but he was quite arrogant the way he put them away. Whether this is too soon, not sure, but he is a horse heading in the right direction.
6 Phearson (Bet Now: $21.00) looks on track to do something positive here. He comes through the Russell Balding where he just found them a bit too sharp but I really liked the way he kept on in defeat behind star mare Bella Nipotina. I think ridden on speed and allowed to roll, he takes running down.
Race 9. (17:20) The Beauford 2300m
3 Naval College (Bet Now: $4.80) for me. He resumed three weeks ago in the Craven Plate where he looked to be a winning threat when presented but first up, condition just gave way late in the piece. Fitter and up in trip, great second up record and has class. The one for me.
4 Wyclif (Bet Now: $3.90) is knocking on the door for Ciaron Maher. He looked the winner when presented late in the Rosehill Cup but just found one better in the shape of Fawkner Park, who would eat these on toast if he was lining up. The rise in trip looks ideal, knocking on the door and strikes a winnable race.
If all the rain forecast does hit Newcastle and this track is genuinely soft, then 7 Stockman (Bet Now: $10.00) becomes the one to beat. He has done it a few times this horse. You think he is gone and soon to be retired, then he comes out and produces an eye catcher, which is what he did two weeks ago in the Rosehill Cup. Up in trip, bit of juice in the track, he takes beating.
Race 10. (17:55) Ausure Insurance Newcastle (Bm94) 1300m
15 Bojangles (Bet Now: $13.00) should appreciate a rise to 1300m. He resumed over 1000m on Melbourne Cup Day at Randwick and I thought it was a very sleepy ride by Tommy, not really making any moves until it was race over. Better set up here and I think with a more positive ride, he’ll take beating.
4 Highlights (Bet Now: $10.00) is a talented animal for Bjorn Baker that resumes. He is first up, having not raced since July 6 when far from disgraced in the Winter Stakes behind Tamerlane. Given a good break and with solid trial work under the belt, I say he’s ready to go, but watch the market.
6 Zoology (Bet Now: $71.00) is the interesting runner. He ran over the mile three weeks back at Randwick where the race shape wasn’t to his liking but even allowing for that, he was a touch on the plain side late in the piece I thought behind Sounds Of Heaven. Perhaps with a more genuine tempo here, he’s an improver at odds.
Best Bets & Quaddie Tips
BEST BET: Race Four Number 4 Bullets High
NEXT BEST: Race Five Number 3 Melody Again
LONG SHOT: Race Eight Number 7 Coastwatch
Quaddie Tips (Races Seven Through To Ten):
Leg One: 1, 2, 7, 9
Leg Two: 4, 6, 7, 12, 14
Leg Three: 3, 4, 5, 7
Leg Four: 1, 4, 5, 6, 15
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