Gary Harley – Herald
The very popular Jungle Juice Cup held at the Cessnock Racecourse prior to the latter’s sale to Racing NSW following the 2019 event is the feature race at the Newcastle Jockey Clubs eight race program on Saturday. The 2026 TLE Jungle Juice Cup is a conditional Handicap over 1350 metres and the two top weights Oakfield Utah and Oakfield Duke are both owned by Bruce Mackenzie and have good form on the Newcastle track and if the track remains soft their prospects will be enhanced.
Scone trainer Scott Singleton puts the polish on top weight Oakfield Utah which carries 61 kilograms with Aaron Bullock in the saddle. The 4-year-old is unbeaten in two Newcastle starts and is unbeaten in three starts on soft tracks. He has won five of nine starts including an impressive Newcastle win two starts back when he came from worse than midfield at the top of the straight. The gelding carried 61 kilograms in that win, and he was beaten 2.73 lengths in a Benchmark 72 on a firm surface at Rosehill on September 30 carrying the same weight.
The Kris Lees trained Oakfield Duke has won two from four at Newcastle and nine wins overall on soft or heavy tracks. The 8-year-old won a Benchmark 93 at the Coffs Harbour Cup Meeting on August 7. Grant Buckley has the mount on Saturday.
The 1900 metre Datatech Newcastle – Cessnock Cup for the stayers is the final event on Saturday and Chris Wallers lightly raced mare Blenheim Girl will be hard to beat following an eye-catching runner up performance at Rosehill last start on September 30. The 4-year-old carries the famous colours of Ingham Racing and she is crying out for this trip. The mare has only had 7 starts for 2 wins and a second but staying was going to be her forte. Last start at Rosehill Blenheim Girl came from near the tail of the field to go down by just over half a length in a Benchmark 72 over 1800 metres. On Saturday she carries the minimum weigh of 55 kilograms with Reece Jones in the saddle.
The John O’Shea – Tom Charlton stable will send their unbeaten 3-year-old Mindgames to Newcastle to contest the 1600 metre Schneider Electrical Benchmark 64 Handicap. Keagan Latham will ride the son of Maurice who resumed from a let up with an easy Class 1 Goulburn win on a soft 6 track on October 6. He came form second last in the small field to race away late and win by two lengths. In his only other start at Wyong in July Mindgames had no luck in running when trapped three wide with no cover but still won convincingly. He will relish the 1600 metre trip.
Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle could land a winning double at the meeting with Emalyn in the 900-metre Klein Tools Provincial Benchmark 64 Handicap and Zouboy in the 1250 metre NHP Electrical Engineering Products Midway Class 1 Handicap. Doyles former Queensland apprentice Liberty Smyth rides Emalyn and the 3-kilogram claim is a big plus. The apprentice rode the mare when she won first up at Newcastle on October 3. Zouboy was very impressive in winning his only start at Newcastle in aMay and local apprentice William Stanley has the mount again on Saturday.