The second day of the Newcastle Jockey Clubs Spring Racing Carnival on Saturday is Ladies Day with the 1300 metre Prosperity Advisers Ladies Day Cup the feature event.
The Taree trained Bodhi Boy is the top weight and the son of So You Think has an impressive record from only eight career starts. The 4-year-old has won four of eight starts with two seconds, and his trainer Lyndall Olson has booked former Taree apprentice Mollie Fitzgerald to ride Bodhi Boy, reducing his impost to 59 kilograms. He was brave last start on Wyong Cup Day, September 5 when he attempted to chase down the smart Shiverington and failed by a length. His other three starts, this preparation includes a narrow second behind the in-form California Secret at Newcastle in June and an easy all-the-way Taree win with 61 kilograms in July. Bodhi Boy is an on-speed horse and Saturday’s barrier is perfect.
The Arrowfield stable heads down the Hunter Expressway with two home bred and owned gallopers on Saturday. 4-year-old Dundeel mare Bellini Spritz has won her past two starts at Tamworth by a total of 10.24 lengths and she steps up to 2300 metres for the first time in the opening event the Pro Torque Engineering Benchmark 64 Handicap. The Messara-Gavranich 3-year-old colt Autumn King narrowly beaten when a $1.26 favourite on debut at Scone on September 2 is out to atone in the 1250 metre J&H Commercial Super Maiden Plate. He raced in second place from the outset and there appeared to have his chance. The Autumn Sun colt will strike strong opposition from the Michael Freedman trained Extractor which is second up from a spell. The colt was narrowly beaten first up when an odds-on favourite at Gosford on August 29. Extractor was beaten half a length in the Group 3 Golden Gift in November and in February he was placed in the Listed Lonrho. The negative for Extractor is the 13 barrier.
Aaron Bullock rides the Arrowfield pair and Keagan Latham is aboard Extractor. Michael Freedman is sending another promising colt Transgress to Newcastle to contest the 1250 metre Bella Group Services Benchmark 64 Handicap. A 3-year-old son of I Am Invincible, Transgress was very impressive in a debut win at Wyong on August 31 and he is another good mount for Latham.
Champaign Hero an easy Randwick barrier trial winner on September 2, will be hard to beat in the 1400 metre Gateshead Traffic Solutions Benchmark 64 handicap. The colt in his second race start won narrowly at Wyong in June and he has a lovely barrier and apprentice Zac Waddick claims 1.5 kilograms.