Newcastle betting tips & quaddie numbers | Thursday, March 31
| What | Newcastle Races |
| Where | Newcastle Racecourse – Darling St, Broadmeadow NSW 2292 |
| When | Thursday, March 31, 2022 |
| First Race | 1:15pm AEDT |
HorseBetting’s New South Wales racing expert presents his best bets and quaddie selections for Thursday’s eight-race meeting at Newcastle – now a Group 1 racecourse. The track is rated a Soft 7 and the rail is out 5m for the entire course, for what will be the third meeting held at the venue in five days. The $150,000 Provincial-Midway Championships Wild Card (1400m) is the highlight on the program, with just two spots left to be filled for Saturday week’s $500,000 final on Day 2 of The Championships at Royal Randwick. The first race of the day is scheduled to start at 1:15pm AEDT.
PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP WILD CARD BEST BET: CONFESSED
Oh to be Kris Lees! In the field of 18, Lees saddles up seven runners, with those seven all likely to be towards the top of the market. We are siding with one of his runners on Thursday, in the form of four-year-old mare Confessed. The daughter of Press Statement won in good style at Eagle Farm on March 12 over 1400m, defeating Enterprise Prince by two-tenths of a length with 54kg on her back. On that occasion, she did get a fair way back in the run, before making considerable ground late to win pretty comfortably. Confessed now rises to 55.5kg and will jump from barrier 11, but she does have the highest handicap rating in this field with 72, so she is very well in at the weights considering. Lees is yet to confirm a jockey for either of his seven runners, so that aspect is unknown.
BEST BET AT NEWCASTLE: MYSTIC MERMAID
We have been waiting a fair while to see this Chris Waller-trained filly back at the races, but the day has finally come. Mystic Mermaid has had just one start where she was strong late to run second at Wyong at the end of September, before she was tipped out and spelled. Since returning to work, the filly by Fastnet Rock has won a trial in comfortable fashion on the synthetic surface at Warwick Farm on March 11 over 740m, preparing her nicely for her first-up run over 1200m. Mystic Mermaid is a full-sister to nine-time Group 1 winner Avantage, so if she has half as much ability, she will be blow them away on Thursday.
NEXT BEST AT NEWCASTLE: ONE WAY STREET
Kristen Buchanan and Aaron Bullock combine in the first race of the day with One Way Street who looks very well placed to win his maiden. The four-year-old son of Super One has been runner up in his two career starts to date, finishing half a length behind Per Ivy on debut and then one length behind Petulant – a subsequent 2.5-length winner. That form looks good enough for this gelding to be able to breakthrough on Thursday, while his recent trial win in Open company at Gosford suggests he has returned in good order. Bullock will have to ask him for an effort early from barrier 12 if he is to lead or be prominent like he has been in his two runs to date, and the 60.5kg on his back is a slight negative, but this is a very weak maiden race, so he should be able to prove too good.
NEXT BEST AGAIN AT NEWCASTLE: LORD OF THE HUNTER
Lord Of The Hunter looks very well suited to break his maiden in the second race of the day on Thursday when he resumes over 900m. The Nathan Doyle-trained two-year-old has had just three starts, one of which saw him run fourth to Russian Conquest in the Max Lees Classic over this track and distance back in November, before going to the Inglis Nursery when four lengths behind El Padrino. The son of Lord Of The Sky was a $41 chance on that occasion with online bookmakers, and while we don’t expect a similar SP in this race, we are hoping for some value. The gelding has been back to the trials recently where he was a nice winner over 800m at Gosford earlier in the month when wide throughout. He can win his maiden against this lot.
Thursday quaddie tips for Newcastle
| Newcastle quadrella selections | |
|---|---|
| Leg 1: | 1-2-3-6 |
| Leg 2: | 1-2-3 |
| Leg 3: | 8-10-11-14 |
| Leg 4: | 1-2-3-4-5-8 |
| Investment: | $288 for 100% |