The Newcastle Jockey Club will hold the first of two meetings in four days on Wednesday with an attractive eight race program well supported by the states leading trainers.
Chris Waller is sending a blueblood grey filly Mignonette to Newcastle to contest the 1250 metre Davali Yearlings @ HTBA Sale Maiden Plate and recent trials indicate the 3-year-old is ready to win first up. The filly carriers the course colours of the Ingham family and she is a daughter of boom sire Zoustar and sixteen-time winner Catkins, successful in a number of Group races. Mignonette’s only start was in a Newcastle 1300 metre Maiden on a soft track on December 1 and after being backed from $14.00 into $9.50 she drifted back to second last when the gates opened. Second last 300 metres from home, Mignonette was doing her best work late to finish fourth 1.82 lengths from the winner. After a four-month break the filly has had two recent trials and James McDonald rode her on the speed in the most recent at Randwick on April 14. Under little pressure Mignonette was narrowly beaten. Jason Collett has the mount on Wednesday from barrier 4.
Kris Lees has accepted with six of his team with the very speedy Hawker Hall his best chance in the 900 metre Horsepower Feeds & Supplements Maiden Handicap. The 3-year-old Russian Revolution is raced by a group which includes Vinery Stud supermo Peter Orton and Rupert Legh and is another good mount for Jason Collett.
The gelding’s only start was in a 1100 metre Hawkesbury Maiden on October 24 and after being backed into $1.90 he quickly led but laid in badly in the straight and finished third. Hawker Hall was sent for a spell, and he bolted in with two recent trials at Muswellbrook and Newcastle. He won a Newcastle 820 metre trial by more than five lengths on a heavy track on April 2. It is a quality maiden race with Ciaron Maher’s Zoustar-Snitty Kitty filly, Zoucat on debut after an impressive soft Kembla trial on April 7.
Lees’ consistent 3-year-old Tasoraay has a good first up chance in the 1250 metre TAB APP Class 1 Handicap. Placed on metropolitan tracks in Sydney and Brisbane last prep Tasoraay broke through for his maiden win on the Beaumont track a week before Christmas and has not raced since. The trainer’s former apprentice Dylan Gibbons rode the gelding in a recent Newcastle trial, and he finished off nicely. Gibbons has the mount on Wednesday.
El Paso, an unplaced favourite on this track last start on April 1 returns to contest the 1850 metre New Era Technology Maiden Plate. It was his first run on a heavy track, and he was beaten 3 lengths after being held up in the straight. Gibbons has his first ride on the Dundeel 3-year-old.
The Newcastle Jockey Club race again on Saturday.