Gary Harley
Scone mare Red Rags To Bulls racing consistently in recent Randwick and Rosehill Highway class is well placed in the 1600 metre SB Glass & Glazing Conditional Benchmark 68 Handicap at the Master Builders Association Race Day at Newcastle Racecourse on Saturday. The 6-year-old trained by Jeremy Gask has no speed and came from near last on the home turn when a fast finishing third 2.19 lengths from the winner in a 1600-meter Randwick Class 3 Highway on July 11.
Two starts back the mare stormed home when beaten 2.5 lengths into fourth place in a Rosehill 1500 metre Class 3 Highway. Reg Rags To Bulls has never raced at the Newcastle track, but her style of racing is suited to the spacious track. Former Scone apprentice Mitch Stapleford has the mount, and she is well weighted with 53.5 kilograms on her back.
Kris Lees winner of the 2025-26 Newcastle Trainers Premiership and another century of winners in the Australian Trainers Premiership can start the new season with a winner when Oakfield Iowa contests the 1400 metre Shamrock Joinery Maiden Plate. The 4-year-old mare has only had two starts for a placing on the Beaumont track in December and a first up second at Wyong when a short-priced favourite on July 4. Oakfield Iowa has drawn the rails barrier and stable jockey Aaron Bullock has the first ride on the mare.
Ciaron Maher sent the Gerry Harvey owned Misty Veil to Newcastle on July 11, and she was an easy winner of a super maiden. The mare led all the way with Jean Van Overmier in the saddle and on Saturday she backs up over the same trip in the 900-metre MBA Hunter Division Benchmark 64 Handicap.
The Hawkes stable will be represented by the speedy Snitzel gelding Epic in the opening event, the 900 metre Master Builders Apprentices Maiden Plate. Epic has speed to burn however after leading in his only two starts when unplaced in January he was spelled and gelded. The 4-year-old has won two recent trials at Rosehill in which he was unextended and the speedster will appreciate the short course.
Audaciously Frank is ready to win his first race in the 1850 metre Surescope Certifiers Class 1 & Maiden Plate. Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, the 4-year-old has been narrowly beaten in his past two starts at Kembla and Grafton and he made ground from back in the field in both starts. Audaciously Frank will appreciate the longer trip and stable apprentice Zac Wadick, who has outridden his provincial claim, will ride the gelding.
Sparkling Fire resumes from a spell with Aaron Bullock in the saddle in the 1200 metre NHS Midway Maiden Handicap and he will be hard to beat. The 4-year-old was narrowly beaten in a recent Hawkesbury trial.
BEST BET: RED RAGS TO BULLS
BEST VALUE: AUDACIOUSLY FRANK