| What | Hunter Day 2021 |
| Where | Newcastle Racecourse – 1000 Darling St, Broadmeadow NSW 2292 |
| When | Saturday, November 13, 2021 |
| First Race | 12:20pm AEDT |
| Feature race | The Hunter (Race 8) |
| Watch Live | |
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Streaming Live at Sportsbet |
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Metropolitan racing heads to Newcastle this Saturday for the running of The Hunter. HorseBetting’s New South Wales form analyst brings you his best bets and quaddie numbers for the meeting, as well as his top picks in both the feature race and the Group 3 Spring Stakes. The track is rated a Soft 5, the rail is in the true position for the entire course, and the first race on the 10-part program is due to jump at 12:20pm AEDT.
The Hunter – Top Ranked
Now this horse isn’t Zaaki, but he does have the same trainer and jockey combination in Annabel Neasham and James McDonald, so that counts for something, right? All jokes aside, Top Ranked comes to Australia with some of the best middle-distance form in the world, namely around Palace Pier, so he should be very competitive in this race over 1300m. The six-year-old gelding has won six of his 12 career starts, including a Group 3 and a Listed race, so he comes over with exceptional form for a race like this. Drawn in barrier seven, McDonald will get the grey into a nice spot within striking distance.
NJC 3YO Spring Stakes – Contributingfactor
Local trainer David Atkins combines with Tim Clark in a bid to make it three-straight wins with Contributingfactor in Saturday’s Group 3. The three-year-old is undefeated here at Newcastle, winning his past two starts here by 1.9 lengths and 0.6 lengths respectively. The son of The Factor has drawn the outside alley in both of those wins and been ridden differently in both of those, so he has shown plenty of versatility, which will come in handy in a race that looks to be genuinely run. Drawn in gate six, Clark will look for a prominent position in behind the leaders and allow his mount to hit his straps in the straight. He looks a good each-way play.
Newcastle Best Bet – Shared Ambition
The Beauford (2300m) will be run for $300,000 on Saturday and Chris Waller has three in the race, including top weight Shared Ambition. The now six-year-old gelding showed plenty of promise early in his career when he first arrived in Australia, and while he has not reached the heights that some expected him to, he is still a serious racehorse having chalked up over $950,000 in prizemoney. The son of Born To Sea gets apprentice Dylan Gibbons in the saddle on Saturday which is a big push, as he will carry only 56kg instead of the 59kg first allocated to him, bringing him right into this race. When forced to lead last time out in the Rosehill Gold Cup, he was run down late by Think It Over and Rock, but that form looks elite in this race. If he is ridden with cover on the back of a decent tempo, it will be all over.
Next Best at Newcastle – Norwegian Bliss
They say winning form is good form, so you can’t really go past a horse who is three from three to start their career. Norwegian Bliss won easily on debut at Port Macquarie before coming to Newcastle and once again winning easily over 1300m when leading all the way. The daughter of El Roca then went to Canterbury for a metropolitan race and was very good again, racing away to win by half-a-length. Andrew Adkins retains the ride on Saturday from barrier six, which is good enough for us, allowing the mare to get into a good rhythm just off the speed before being produced late. She is trained on course at Newcastle by Nathan Doyle, so the local surroundings will only enhance her winning chances.
Newcastle Value Bet – Never Talk
There’s only so many chances you can give a horse, and Never Talk is one mare who is walking a fine line in our books, but she strikes a winnable race in the final event of the day. This four-year-old daughter of No Nay Never won her first four career starts and then made it five of her first six starts shortly after when winning at Randwick-Kensington in January. She has not won since then, although she has placed at Group 2 level. Last time out, the Kris Lees-trained mare was beaten four lengths at Flemington by Minhaaj in Group 3 company, which does read well for this Benchmark 88. They will hammer along here in this 1300m contest, which is going to suit Never Talk, especially given she will get back from barrier 14 under Dylan Gibbons. She drops to 54.5kg after Gibbons’ 3kg claim, which is even more advantageous. The $11 looks well and truly over the odds in the final race of the day for a horse who is not far off finding some winning form.
Newcastle quaddie tips for Hunter Day 2021
| Newcastle quadrella selections | |
|---|---|
| Leg 1: | 1-4-6-7-10 |
| Leg 2: | 1-2 |
| Leg 3: | 3-4-5-6-7-11 |
| Leg 4: | 5-6-8-12 |
| Investment: | $240 for 100% |
