The 'Last word' on Newcastle races
09 Mar 2012 | By Gary Harley - racingnsw.com.au The certainty of a slow to heavy track and capacity fields in five of the eight races are the issues facing punters at Broadmeadow on Saturday. But we will pin our hopes on trainers’ premiership front-runner Darren Smith, who has bright prospects of landing a double with a pair of topweights.
Rushing To Win revelled in the slow going when she bolted in on debut at Gosford on December 8. She hasn’t raced since but has won two barrier trials recently at Wyong. Apprentice Alison Threadwell will claim 2kg and Rushing to Win should prove too classy for her rivals.
Smith’s four-year-old General Sorriso is another definite winning chance. He resumed from a spell at Canterbury Park on February 17 and wasn’t disgraced when fifth over 1100m after jumping awkwardly. General Sorriso carries a big weight (59kg), but is expected to start favourite. He has wet track form, being narrowly beaten on a heavy track at Broadmeadow last May. He won easily first-up last preparation on his home track and from the rails barrier should be on the pace throughout. Prior to his first-up Canterbury run, he won a barrier trial on a slow track at Rosehill in early February.
Grahame Begg’s filly Bugaboo is well-placed in the 1850m Maiden Handicap. Bugaboo was beaten only a short neck at Canterbury Park over 1550m last start and two starts back she was also beaten only narrowly at Broadmeadow. She has to carry 58kg but is crying out for the 1850m.
Newcastle Jockey Club will stage 900m races for the first time in five months – and the speedsters step out in the Benchmark 70 Handicap. Arrowfield Stud’s Redoute’s Choice filly TUMBLE TURN has abundant speed and resumes here. She has had only seven starts and was a Canterbury Park winner last September. Top Sydney apprentice Sam Clipperton has seven rides at the meeting and Tumble Turn could be his best.
Victorian mare Bondarenko recently transferred to Kris Lees, is an interesting runner. John Sadler trained the Pins mare in Melbourne and she had sound form. Bondarenko was an odds-on favourite when second at Wyong a few weeks back. In spite of her wide alley, she looks certain to be hard to beat.
My selections for the Broadmeadow race meeting (Saturday 10th March) are:-
RACE 1: GOLD EPONA 1, Scarrzam 2, Alternative 3.
RACE 2: BUGABOO 1, Wittenoom Way 2, What's the Rules 3.
RACE 3: WHATAWOMAN 1, All Serene 2, Bando 3.
RACE 4: TUMBLE TURN 1, Favourite Miss 2, Buckmoore 3.
RACE 5: RUSHING TO WIN 1, Shocking Behavious 2, Sukraji 3.
RACE 6: TOHUNGA 1, That's Hoqw 2, The Firehouse 3.
RACE 7: GENERAL SORRISO 1, Departed 2, Our Alby 3.
RACE 8: BONDARENKO 1, Room to Boom 2, Light Warrior 3.