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Newcastle Jockey Club's first day of their Spring Racing Carnival on Friday features a cracking eight-race program with three Group 3 events and more than $1 million in prizemoney.
The race meeting has been bolstered by the appearances of some of Australia's leading jockeys – McDonald, Rawllier, Berry, Collett, Clark, McEvoy, Parr, Bayliss, Hyeronimis, King and young guns Schiller, Lloyd and Gibbons.
The $300,000 Group 3-Sharp Office Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m) is the feature race event, and the nine-horse event is choc full of quality.
The Annabel Neasham-Rob Archibald trained Irish import Redstone Well is the $3.70 TAB favourite after a dominate 2.93 length all the way victory last start in the Randwick City Tatts Cap on September 7.
The predicted Good 4 surface is ideal for the 6-year-old as three of his five wins have been on firm tracks.
Tom Sherry has ridden Redstone Well in the gelding's last two starts and the Irishman has the mount of Friday.
Chris Waller has won five Newcastle Cups, and he will saddle up three stayers in Friday's Cup.
Another Irish import Etna Rosso ($4.20) appears his best chance with Kerrin Mcevoy chasing his fourth Newcastle Cup win in the saddle.
Etna Rosso started favourite in the Wyong Cup two weeks back but failed finishing fourth.
McEvoy told stewards the gelding needed a bigger track and he has that on Friday.
Peter Snowden, another who has trained a Newcastle Cup winner, is represented by third favourite Touristic ($4.40) who has been runner-up in his past three starts in the Randwick Premiers Cup, Grafton Cup and Rosehill McKell Cup.
Regan Bayliss rides Touristic after being aboard the son of Frankel in his past three starts.
Newcastle trainer Kris Lees' Newcastle Cup win was with Mugatoo in 2020 and his grey stayer Luncies ($9) was a close second in the recent Wyong Cup and has a chance with Josh Parr in the saddle.
The Australian Bloodstock sponsored 1500m Cameron Handicap field is a beauty. In fact, the sponsor's managed syndicates have two of the main chances in a wide-open affair.
Nugget ($12) is a quality miler raced by Australian Bloodstock and trained by Ciaron Maher. The English import was narrowly beaten in the Gr 1-Doncaster Mile in April, never saw daylight in the straight in the Scone Cup in May and had no luck in the recent Tramway first-up behind Royal Patronage.
He has a good second-up record and will appreciate the long straight and Dylan Gibbons will ride.
Maher's other runner in the sponsor's colours is another import Berkshire Shadow ($7) and James McDonald has the mount.
The grey was badly held up when midfield first-up at Rosehill on August 31. Two of his four wins have been on firm tracks.
Victoria's Hayes brothers will send topweight Here To Shock ($5 fav) to Newcastle for The Cameron and Nash Rawiller is booked to ride.
He won the BRC Sprint during the Brisbane Carnival in May and the gelding was heavily backed when a close third, second-up at Caulfield on August 31 behind the talented Another Wil.
The Cameron Handicap winner is eligible for The Big Dance in November.
Waller and McDonald combine with topweight Roots ($4.60) in the remaining Group 3 event the 1400m Reward Hospitality Tibbie Stakes for the Fillies & Mares and Sydney trainers dominate.
Roots, winner of more than $1m on the track, has not raced since a solid performance in the Gr 1-Tatts Tiara at Eagle Farm in June.
She had a very quiet recent trial at Randwick behind Mazu, Stefi Magnetica, Fangirl and Think About It. The mare has won three races on good 4 tracks.
Hell Hath No Fury ($12) was an outstanding run when placed in the Wyong Mona Lisa two weeks ago and draws nicely.
Terra Mater ($3.60 fav) won the Mona Lisa and has won five of her past eight starts and Nash Rawiller her regular rider has the mount.
