Gai Waterhouse And The Newcastle Carnival

After a huge weekend across three venues, Gai Waterhouse is sending a great team to Newcastle for their two day carnival. The Lady Trainer has a genuine chance to win all four of the feature races across the two days. The Tulloch Lodge stable is in terrific form and Gai regularly lists Newcastle as one of her favourite racing venues.

Spring Stakes 1600m. Race 6 Wednesday

Gai has two entered in this race, the Group One placed Equator and the unbeaten Rockabill. Equator ran a stunning third in the Group One Champagne Stakes during the autumn; then first up this time in, the gelding was a victim of the track bias at Rosehill where he could not make up any ground in the Run to the Rose. The big open track at Newcastle will suit him down to the ground and he will be very hard to get past if he is gifted an early lead. $8

The wildcard in this race is the Fastnet Rock colt Rockabill. This boy has had just the one start for a win in a lowly Kembla maiden. However on that day, he was stuck out four wide without cover for the entire trip, yet he still managed to find something late in the race and win. It was a remarkable win and he will no doubt have taken great improvement out of the run. The stable have always had a good opinion of him and as he is untapped and a bit of an x factor, the $16 on offer might either be supreme value or unders! However on the strength of his first up win, he will most definitely show us something on Wednesday. $16

Hardest to beat: 1. Fuerza, 3. Stamina, 7. Savy Nature.

As both of Gai’s runners are at good odds they are both worth an each way ticket.

Cameron Handicap 1500m. Race 7 Wednesday

Spurtonic is one of the most improved horses in NSW. He has won three races on end and last start he won a Saturday race in very easy fashion. In his last preparation he ran second to Hawkspur over 1900m and during his entire career he has won race at distances between 1400m and 2000m. He is way down in the weights and he can lead or storm from the back of the field. The gelding is nominated for the Caulfield Cup and he looks like a runner that would be threatening in a race like that down on the minimum. Gai also has plans for the son of Flying Spur to run in the Epsom, but he would have to win this race as to qualify. He looks really good value at $4 and he is the best of Gai’s chances over the two days. $4

Hardest to beat: 2. Toydini, 9. Tokamak, 10. High Esteem.

Tibbie Stakes 1400m. Race 6 Thursday

Vaquera is a mare who is bred to get better with age, with racing and over a longer trip. She ran third in both the Roses and the Queensland Oaks and she is nominated for both the Melbourne Cup and the Caulfield Cup. The mare has a tonne of class and she will have residual fitness on her side from a long winter campaign. She is unbeaten at Newcastle and placed at the 1400m on two occasions. However she will definitely need the run and will improve off the run so maybe she is an each way chance at best. But we cannot take the progeny of High Chaparral lightly especially when they start getting a little older and residual fitness is a big factor when considering stayers first up over sprint trips.

Hardest to beat: 6. Sharnee Rose, 7. Lilliburlero, 13. Unimpeachable.

Newcastle Gold Cup 2300m. Race 7 Thursday

Gai won this race last year with Glencadam Gold and she has two genuine chances to again win the Group Three race this year. Danas Best is one of the most improved horses in Australia; he has won his last three starts all in grand fashion and he will be extremely hard to beat on Thursday. He genuinely leads and no matter what level of pressure he sustains, he still manages to kick late in his races and he has been winning very easily. Danas Best is the second best of Gai’s after Spurtonic for the carnival.

Tenby Lady is an import who has been so very consistent this time in. She went down by an inch at her last start and judging by Gai’s daily trackwork reports, she has thrived since then. The mare may lack a little of the brilliance that Danas Best processes but in a dour struggle she will keep giving and giving right to the winning post.

Hardest to beat: 1. Ironstein, 6. Lucripetous, 9. Yulalona.

Best for the carnival – Spurtonic

Second best – Danas Best

Best each way – Rockabill

Good luck.

By Zeb Armstrong

 

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