Hawkesbury filly Savvy Hallie runner up in the Group 2 Baillieu in the Autumn is set to resume from a spell at the Newcastle Jockeys Clubs race meeting on Thursday. Yet to win in four starts in which she accumulated $253,800 in prizemoney from three runner up performances in the Autumn, the 3-year-old filly will only carry 55 kilograms in the 900 metre Newcastle Master Builders Apprentices Super Maiden Plate.
Trained by Brad Widdup Savvy Hallie will be ridden by Jay Ford who rode her in all three Group races in her 2-year-old season. The filly led when unextended in winning a Rosehill trial on July 15 and backed up when narrowly beaten under little pressure in another Rosehill trial on July 29. In the Autumn, Savvy Hallie was runner up to the Reisling winner Tempted in the Percy Sykes and Group 1 Champagne Stakes winner Nepotism in the Baillieu. The filly has speed and has placed on a heavy track.
The Warwick Farm trained Wal’s Me Mate, a brilliant first up winner at Wyong on July 24, will line up in the 900 metre SB Glass and Glazing Class 1 Handicap. Tom Sherry rides the Robert Quinn trained gelding, and the Irishman was aboard at Wyong on the soft track. He had a nice trail behind the leaders at Wyong, and the 4-year-old sprinted away in the home straight to win by 3.75 lengths. Wal’s Me Mate turned in an eye-catching performance at Newcastle in his last appearance here when he stormed home from the rear of the field to finish second in a 1400 metre Maiden in September last year. First preparation the gelding was placed in Super Maidens at Warwick Farm and the Kensington track. He has good soft track form and has been placed in both second up starts.
Local trainer Jason Deamer has Dollars racing in good form and the 4-year-old is ready to break through for his first win in the 1600 metre Surescope Certifiers Midway Maiden Handicap. Formerly with Ciaron Maher, Dollars has been placed in three of four starts with Deamer and all on rain affected tracks. Last start at Warwick Farm he was beaten just over a length on a soft 7 track after racing in second place for the last 1000 metres. Dollars has raced twice at Newcastle since entering Deamer’s stable for two close seconds.
Two of Sydney’s leading trainers saddle up well fancied runners in the 1400 metre Master Builders Insurance Brokers Class 1 Handicap. Peter Snowdens Homeric put the writing on the wall when a fast finishing third 1.25 lengths from the winner Cold Brew on this track on July 15. Cold Brew confirmed the form with a 3.62 length win at Rosehill on August 2. Homeric was a Kembla winner on a heavy 8 track on May 31.
Michael Freedman has taken over the training of the Godolphin bred and owned Cinsault. In her last start for James Cummings at Kembla on July 26 she beat a small field by 3.5 lengths. The 4-year-old mare has solid heavy track form and along with Homeric have a good chance in the Master Builders Insurance Brokers Class 1 Handicap (1400m).
The following race meeting at Newcastle is The Stars Of Newcastle Race Day supporting The Cancer Council on Saturday August 23