The prospect of a rain affected track will enhance the chance of Peter Snowdens 4-year-old Homeric in the 1400 metre The Pavilion Carrington Benchmark 64 Handicap at Saturday’s Newcastle Jockey Clubs race meeting. The lightly raced Homeric has only had one win and two placings from six starts however he has been in good form this preparation importantly on rain affected tracks. He came from well back to win a Kembla 1300 Maiden on a heavy 8 track on May 31 and last start at Newcastle on July 15 he was beaten 1.2 lengths by Cold Brew over 1400 metres of a soft track. Cold Brew was very impressive in a 3.62-length win at Rosehill last Saturday. Homeric has drawn ideally in barrier 4, Mitchell Bell who rode 51 winners in the recently completed season has the mount on Saturday.
The John O’Shae – Tom Charlton stable are sending the Yulong Investments bred and owned mare From The Peak to Newcastle on Saturday and the lightly raced 4-year-old will find conditions to suit. She was beaten 1.86 lengths on a heavy 8 Canterbury track first up on July 9 then sat outside the leader when beaten half a length into third place on a soft 7 Canterbury track on July 23. From The Peak was beaten a length when an odds-on favourite in her only other start which was in Newcastle in March. The mare has natural speed and has a nice barrier with Mitchell Bell to ride in the 1250 metres Equi-Energy Youth Fillies & Mares Maiden.
Noted wet tracker Dr Evil can return to the winning list in the 1850 metre Henderson Advocate Benchmark 64 Handicap, the 9-year-old has won $554,540 in prizemoney from eight wins and fourteen placings, the in-form jockey Chad Lever has the mount on Saturday for the Warwick Farm based trainer John Steinmetz.
Gosford trained Orthies, an impressive winner for new trainer Gregory McFarlane on July 19, will be hard to beat in the 1200 metre Rebuild Relief Benchmark 68 Handicap. Orthies has two wins, and two placings form five starts and has a good soft track record.
Winning trainer Michael Freedman has bright prospects for Miss Fleetwood when resuming after surgery on January 31. When she steps out in the opening event the 900 metre Reward Hospitality Super Maiden Handicap. The 3-year-old had a bone chip found in her near fore knee and required surgery. Miss Fleetwood’s only start was in a 1000 metre 2-year-old at Randwick on January 25 and after being second to the turn was beaten five lengths. The filly was ridden quietly when a close third in a recent Randwick trial. She has drawn wide but she has genuine speed, and it is a straight run from the ‘900’ to the home turn.
The NJC race again at Newcastle next Thursday.