Newcastle betting tips & quaddie picks | Monday, March 28

Race 1: Benchmark 88 Handicap (1400m)

The rescheduled Tancred Stakes Day is set to get underway with a BM88 over 1400, in what looks to be quite the competitive race to get things started. A couple of promising gallopers go around in it, including Taksu and Rustic Steel. It was pretty hard to split the pair of last-start winners, but with Taksu’s weight relief and Rustic Steel two weeks away from his grand final in the Provincial-Midway Championships Final, we are confident that the former will get the better of the Kris Lees-trained galloper on Monday. Taksu was super a fortnight ago at Rosehill over 1350m, racing away to win by 3.75 lengths, so the rise to 1400m should only suit him even more. After Tyler Schiller’s claim, the son of Equiano gets in with just 55kg, while he will do no work from the inside alley. Rustic Steel is a very nice horse, but we expect this run to just tip him over in preparation for his target race in a fortnight.

• 8

  TAKSU

• 7

  RUSTIC STEEL

• 4

  POETIC CHARMER

• 14

  O’PRESIDENT

Race 2: Group 2 Tulloch Stakes (1850m)

A number of staying three-year-olds will line up in the Tulloch Stakes over 1850m in what is a last-minute effort to get into Saturday’s Australian Derby. Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott saddle up Zoumon in this year’s Tulloch Stakes, and we are pretty confident that he can get the job done at $14. The son of Zoustar just missed out on gaining a start in the Victoria Derby in the spring, so we imagine that qualifying for the Australian Derby has been at the forefront of connection’s minds for the best part of four or five months. The gelding was well backed at Rosehill over 1900m a fortnight ago but he struggled against the older horses, but prior to that he was dominant leading all of the way at Canterbury on a Heavy track. He should roll forward and find the front from barrier nine under Tim Clark and he will take some running down. This is a nice race for him.

• 6

  ZOUMON

• 3

  CHARACTER

• 5

  SWORD POINT

• 1

  REGAL LION

Race 3: Group 2 Emancipation Stakes (1500m)

A field of 11 mares will contest Tuesday’s $200,000 Emancipation Stakes over 1500m, with a number of differing formlines being tied in together. Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr saddle up classy last-start winner Annavisto. The four-year-old mare comes off a dominant win in the Group 3 Frances Tressady Stakes at Flemington on March 5, so that looks to be strong enough form for this race. There are a number of quality gallopers, but the daughter of Reliable Man relishes wet tracks, so she should be in her element on an improving Soft 7 track.

• 7

  ANNAVISTO

• 2

  KRONE

• 1

  HUNGRY HEART

• 5

  EXPAT

Race 4: Group 3 Doncaster Prelude (1500m)

Runners in Monday’s Doncaster Prelude will be looking to book themselves a spot into Saturday’s Doncaster Mile, and one runner who can do it is Our Playboy for Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr. If Our Playboy can produce a similar run to what he did in last year’s Group 3 Winx Guineas on the Sunshine Coast, he will take plenty of beating under the 2021 Doncaster Handicap winning rider, Jamie Kah. From the inside alley, this four-year-old son of Sebring is going to get the right run in transit, while he will relish the wet track and he should improve immensely from his first-up fourth behind Kissonallforcheeks at Flemington. With just 53kg on his back, Our Playboy looks to be one of the bets of the day at Newcastle.

• 11

  OUR PLAYBOY

• 14

  MR MOZART

• 7

  KUKERACHA

• 2

  JUST FOLK

Race 5: Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m)

The 2022 Tancred Stakes shapes to be one of the more exciting races of the autumn, with a highly anticipated rematch between Australian Cup trifecta Duais, Think It Over and Spanish Mission will be run and won, while a highly popular stayer from New Zealand, The Chosen One, makes his Australian return.

See who HorseBetting’s racing tipster has selected in the 2022 Tancred Stakes

Race 6: Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (1850m)

A strong field of three-year-old fillies will do battle in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes over 2000m. Gypsy Goddess and Hinged share favouritism, with the former looking to maintain her unbeaten record in her first crack at Group 1 glory.

See who our racing analyst is tipping in the 2022 Vinery Stud Stakes

Race 7: Group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes (1200m)

The Star Kingdom Stakes shapes to be one of the better races of the afternoon, with a big field of sprinters lining up. On Tuesday, Maotai produced one of the most impressive trial victories we have ever seen, leading all of the way to win the 1030m trial at Rosehill by 10.22 lengths over He’s a Hotshot and Obvious Step. While the trial was visually impressive, it was backed up by the clock, running 1.86 seconds faster than any other 1030m trial on the same day. That was on a Heavy 8 track, so the wet surface won’t be an issue for the Kacy Fogden-trained galloper, while barrier four with just 53.5kg on his back will see him jump, lead and win. Tim Clark just needs to hold on for this to be winning.

• 18

  MAOTAI

• 13

  GRAVINA

• 8

  QUANTICO

• 9

  EXOBOOM