By Neil Evans
Only three days after hosting The Hunter stand-alone meeting, Newcastle roars back into action on Tuesday to showcase a swarm of promising youngsters potentially headed for Saturday grade.
And across many either on debut or returning for a second prep, a first starter by group 3-winning speedster Sooboog can steal the headlines in a Maiden Hcp over the flying 900m.
Racing returns to Newcastle on Tuesday.Credit:Getty
Fast Response -from the Freedman yard at Rosehill – flexed his muscles in a recent trial win, clocking a slick 32.5 secs for his final 600m.
He locks horns in a speed showdown with Star Turn filly Shezanalister who was only narrowly beaten on debut at Muswellbrook a fortnight ago after winning all four lead-up trials over a 19-week stretch.
Meanwhile, from his Hawkesbury base, trainer John O’Shea is targeting a double strike late in the meeting with a pair of gallopers destined for bigger targets.
Lightly raced and still improving three-year-old Flexing looks suitably placed to open his account in a Maiden Hcp over a mile at only his third start.
Having missed by a neck in a driving finish at Goulburn 17 days ago, Flexing will sport blinkers for the first time, with leading metropolitan jockey Tommy Berry taking over.
By group 1-winning NZ stallion Xtravagant, he draws to get an economical run just behind the speed and be saved for the final surge home.
In the closing race, stablemate This’llbetheone is hunting a long-awaited return to the winner’s stall second-up in a competitive Benchmark 64 Hcp for the girls over 1200m.
The stable has brought the four-year-old back a little in distance after being run down late, resuming in a deeper metro BM 64 (1300m) at Randwick on Melbourne Cup day.
But even from an ideal draw, there’ll be little margin for error against a few of these.
Improving five-year-old Unrelenting was also narrowly beaten in a similar race first-up after being well-backed; while market watchers could zero in on resuming four-year-old Ka Bling who has trialled in strong fashion for Team Snowden.
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au.
