Newcastle Provincial Championships Qualifier form and free tips
THE Provincial Championships Qualifiers are popular races for punters and a big field has been presented this Wednesday at Newcastle.
A maximum field lines up for the $150,000 prize and a late gasp attempt to earn a spot in the Provincial Championships Final during The Championships at Randwick.
The rainy skies are set to clear up and punters get to enjoy a quality nine-card this Wednesday. We have form and free tips for every race on the card which kicks off with the The Children’s Charity 2YO Plate at 12.45pm.
Race 1 – Variety, The Children’s Charity 2YO (1200m)
Ataraxia wasn’t far away on debut and it should appreciate running on a drier track. The John O’Shea-trained colt finished second on debut at Beaumont behind Florid and it would have enjoyed having the hit out. It gets a significant rider change with Brenton Avdulla in the saddle and it will only need some early luck from barrier 10 to feature in the placings.
Merovee is going to attract plenty of attention this Wednesday and it’s highly likely that bookmakers will open it as the short favourite. The Chris Waller-trained two-year-old is by Frankel and out of More Strawberries – breeding that gets punters extremely excited. It comes into this having won a trial at Rosehill and we’re expecting a tidy effort.
Race 1 tip: Merovee to win at Sportsbet.com.au
Race 2 – Turfcare 3YO Handicap (1400m)
Waller and Bowman link up again with Noire. The daughter of Foxwedge finished second on debut at Beaumont and it was well-favoured on that occasion so punters should expect a similar price. There isn’t much depth to this field which will play into its hands and it should get every chance from barrier six.
Madison Gardens is having its fourth race day start and it has improved with every run. The John Thompson-trained three-year-old finished seventh on debut before running fifth at Hawkesbury as a $61 chance. It ran as a $6.50 chance last time out when finishing third at Goulburn and the form out of that race should stack up nicely. Blake Shinn is riding in mixed form at the moment, but it looks a strong each way chance.
Race 2 tip: Noire to win at CrownBet.com.au
Race 3 – Meet Restaurant 3YO Plate (1600m)
Obscura has been around some nice types and it should appreciate another run in this class. The O’Shea-trained gelding finished third on debut before running only 1.4 lengths behind Attention in the Baillieu Stakes at Rosehill. It was again tried against the best in the Champagne Stakes where it failed to make any ground and has subsequently finished second back in maiden grade. Another run in this class suits and it looks a good chance to break through.
Not To Be Caught is from the Chris Waller stables and it’s coming off a last start placing. The daughter of High Chaparral has been around the mark in all five starts in its career and the rise to the mile looks ideal. The conditions shouldn’t worry it here and it drops down nicely in weight to 55kg with Tommy Berry in the saddle.
Race 3 tip: Obscura to win at Ladbrokes.com.au
Race 4 – Hunter Land Rover Handicap (1300m)
Lady Sansa has already won twice this campaign and another strong showing looks likely. The Craig Carmody-trained mare won at Beaumont to start its campaign and it has since won by 1.5 lengths at Hawkesbury. The four-year-old by Al Maher has yet to miss a win or placing in four starts at this distance and Brenton Avdulla gets the call up to ride. It should be well-specked in the betting.
Champagne Ready comes back from Melbourne with steady form which will hold up nicely at this level. The Waller-trained mare finished second at Moonee Valley and third at Flemington which was a strong placing behind Tavi Bay. That’s strong form for a midweek race at Newcastle and it has shown good speed when fresh up in the past. Expect it to be nicely supported with Bowman in the saddle.
Race 4 tip: Champagne Ready to win at Bet365.com
Race 5 – Nationals Jockeys Trust R67 Handicap (1400m)
The Pinnacle was a strong winner at Warwick Farm last time out and it should mature into a nice type as the season progresses. The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained filly put over two lengths on the field last start after showing promise earlier on and it will cope with any track conditions that are presented on the day. This is an extremely difficult race, but it looks to have a winning shot.
Axiomatic comes into this as a back-to-back winner and it looks to have a solid future. The Waller-trained filly won by 7.3 lengths at Kembla Grange in December before winning by a length in a strong form race at Warwick Farm last start. The daughter of O’Reilly is bred to handle any sting out of the track and it gives Hugh Bowman another top ride on the Newcastle card.
Race 5 tip: Axiomatic to win at Sportsbet.com.au
Race 6 – Hunter Jaguar R67 Handicap (1600m)
Tamarack didn’t fire up last time out at Warwick Farm, but its form prior was solid and it should be respected in this lineup. The Joe Pride-trained gelding finished second behind Peaceful Sea on debut at Wyong before winning at Beaumont by 3.5 lengths over a handy field. The heavy track proved to be its undoing last start, but it’s bred to handle some moisture and punters should give it another chance.
Nemrud is a three-year-old gelding for John O’Shea which loves to mix its form. The son of Reset finished second int he Dulcify Stakes at Randwick, but it only plugged in the Geelong Classic and the Connoisseur Stakes following that. It scored its first career win in February at Seymour, but then ran over seven lengths from the winner lats start. It’s a tough horse to follow, but it is too talented to completely leave out.
Race 6 tip: Tamarack to place at Palmerbet.com.au
Race 7 – Mercedes Benz Newcastle R67 (1600m)
European form must always be respected and John O’Shea brings another talented type to Australian shores. Interlocuter won on debut in France before finishing fourth last time out on an extremely dry track. The softening conditions at Newcastle should be ideal for the son of Medaglia D’oro and punters might be able to get a good price for the four-year-old.
Krusty is rarely far away from the action and it went close last start at Kembla Grange. The Pride-trained gelding has won only one race from eight starts, but it finished third behind Axiomatic at Warwick Farm and that form could be franked earlier in the day. Drawing wide in barrier 10 isn’t ideal, but there should be plenty of speed in this race and settling just off the speed should suit.
Race 7 tip: Interlocuter to win at CrownBet.com.au
Race 8 – Provincial Championships Qualifier (1400m)
Appoint Percy has plenty of talent and it wasn’t far behind the talented Pomelo at Rosehill. The Luke Pepper-trained gelding battled in the heavy conditions so a harder track will suit and it looks ready to fire after two runs this campaign. It scored a smart three-length win at Randwick in a Highway Handicap and it should resort back to that form in short time.
Beretta has faced much harder fields than this and it gets in here with a good weight. The Kris Lees-trained gelding finished third behind Mountauk last year and it resumed with a fifth in another championship heat in February. It has won twice from three starts on its home track and it gets the inside draw to its advantage. Look for Bowman to ride it positively and kick strongly into the straight.
Race 8 tip: Beretta to win at Sportsbet.com.au
Race 9 – Strathayr R72 Handicap (1200m)
Dreamforce looked the goods last campaign and despite the five months off it usually finds form quickly. The Thompson-trained horse has won three of its last four starts, including a win over the well-performed Liapari. It has drawn the inside barrier which is ideal when fresh up and Blaike McDougall takes a valuable 3kg off its back.
Vigilance has yet to put a foot wrong in three starts. The O’Shea-trained filly is unbeaten from three starts and although the winning margins have been narrowly, it has shown that it can win on any surface over multiple distances. It paid $4 when winning last start which was a value price and we’re expecting punters to get similar here.
Race 9 tip: Dreamforce to win at Bet365.com