Gary Harley – Sharp Office Newcastle Gold Cup Race Day
The two-day Newcastle Jockey Clubs 2026 Spring Carnival kicks off on Friday with three Group 3 events. The $300,000 Sharp Office Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m), the $250,000 Newcastle Car & Truck Rental Cameron Handicap (1500m) and the $250,000 NZB Tibbie Stakes (1400m).
The rising star of the Sydney stayers ranks Aethelwulf to be ridden by Zac Lloyd is an odds-on favourite in the Sharp Office Newcastle Gold Cup following three successive victories in inferior company at Kembla, Canterbury and Rosehill. Following acceptances on Wednesday TAB’s fixed odds market listed Aethelwulf as the $1.50 favourite ahead of the inform So You Are ($3.40). A son of the Japanese sire Saxon Warrior Aethelwulf has won four from six and he won his first race start which was at Newcastle by 5.17 lengths in June.
Roger White is part owner, represented Australia in the Winter Olympics in Norway in 1994 and he is a former Novocastrian. The promising stayer is the $3.50 favourite for the Group 2 Metropolitan at Randwick on October 3. He has been nominated for the Melbourne Cup and is currently a $34 chance.
The second favourite So You Are is in career best form and after a close second in the Randwick Premiers Cup on August 22 he was an easy last start winner of the Randwick Tatts Cup on September 5. Until his last two starts with Bjorn Baker he was trained at Armidale by Sterling Osland and finished a close second in the Caloundra Cup and fourth in the Grafton Cup. Bella Montagna has a place chance.
The Cameron Handicap has attracted a very smart field. The Kris Lees stable has booked Jason Collett to ride the classy Tavi Time. The latter hasn’t raced since May but has had two recent trials and his last trial at Gosford was impressive. His stablemate Rivellino led all the way with Tavi Time finishing strongly to go down by a head unextended. He has won a Randwick Summer Cup and a Scone Cup and his record stands at ten wins from thirty-two starts. Tavi Time has won two from four at Newcastle and he has very good fresh record.
Fully Lit is an on-speed gelding from the Waterhouse-Bott stable and he finished third 1.82 lengths behind Headly Grange in last years Cameron Handicap. in October he was runner up behind Autumn Glow in the Epsom Handicap. He hasn’t been far away in two starts this preparation.
Vivy Air from the Ciaron Maher stable has won more than $3million in prizemoney and is first up after two recent trials. The mare won the $2million Five Diamonds at Rosehill in November and in March this year finished third .62 of a length behind Lazzura in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic at Rosehill. Mr. Miller and Althoff also have accepted in the Cameron.
The Tibbie Stakes has attracted a quality field of fillies and mares. The two local mares Churchills Choice and Infancy will be well fancied and have undeniable prospects. Churchills Choice from the in-form Nathan Doyle stable resumes after a number of outstanding performances last preparation. She won the Group 3 Hawkesbury Cup in May and was runner up in the Group 3 Newcastle Stakes in March, the Scone Cup in May and Eagle Farm National Classic in June. The mare has a terrific finishing burst and races well on the home track. Infancy was very unlucky when flashing home to miss by less than a length in the Group 3 Show County at Randwick on August 22.
Polymnia was placed twice in Group 3 events during the Autumn.
Best Bet: Race 3 , # 3: Satin Serenade
Best Value: Race 4, # 2: Spartus