Shayne O’Cass’s race-by-race tips, analysis for 2024 The Hunter day at Newcastle on Saturday

Racenet form expert Shayne O’Cass takes a deep dive the 10-race card for The Hunter Day at Newcastle on Saturday, presenting his race-by-race tips and analysis.

Racenet form expert Shayne O’Cass takes a deep dive the 10-race card for The Hunter Day at Newcastle on Saturday, presenting his race-by-race tips and analysis.

• Clinton Payne’s 2024 The Hunter tips, runner-by-runner form analysis

• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

RACE 1: MAX LEES CLASSIC (2yo, 900m)

James Cummings is a master of particular 2YO’s at particular 2YO races which helps when you have as many at one’s disposal as he does. The point is, Godolphin do like this race and always find the right candidate. This year it is Montsegur’s SECRET GLORY (8) whose siblings Corniche and Heresy are both multiple stakes-winners. Just for what it is worth, when I did the form for the first time, off weights, next to BUFFALO (1) I wrote ‘tip if draws well’. Well, he drew 1 so he goes in as the danger.

BET: Secret Glory to win.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

RACE 2: MIDWAY BENCHMARK 72 (1600m)

This is the perfect race at the perfect time for COSMIC LAD (10). Third-up, out to a mile on a nice big track with an Epsom winning jockey on his back and a very, very lightweight bearing in mind he is a big, strong horse. Speaking of perfect timing, PIRAEUS (3) has to be peaking surely and meets the mile off a fast finishing second of 20 in the 1500m Four Pillars. SONOFADEC (4) is slowly getting there but he IS getting there.

BET: Cosmic Lad (best bet), exacta 10 to beat 3, Sonofadec to place, trifecta 10 (standout) to beat 3,4,5 (boxed).

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

RACE 3: HIGHWAY HANDICAP (Class 3, 1600m)

BEST OF MAHER (8) is flying this prep; for the record he is ‘23211’. The Luke Thomas-trained gelding has won three in total so if he wants to win a Highway, now is the time. Mile suits and as for his pattern, he is on-pace and genuine. BRAVELY (4), a $500,000 Easter Yearling and subsequent $80,000 online purchase, has the Dunn/Rawiller factor working in his favour. Danielle Seib has won nine Highways and could make it 10 with either of her two.

BET: Best Of Maher each-way.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

RACE 4: BENCHMARK 78 (1600m)

HIGH DANDY (2), the Ace High son in the Ace High colours, has done some good things in his 11 starts. The Brad Widdup-trained gelding was runner-up in the Dubbo Cup, a solid fourth in the Big Dance Wild Card prior to his 17th of 20 in The Little Dance. Put some of that down to barrier 14 and him being 19th on the turn and a few dead-ends in the straight. BULLETS HIGH (4), another Ace High son, could easily be on a hat-trick coming into this; Nash too. FOR VICTORY (5) is rather effective when second-up.

BET: High Dandy to win, quinella 2,4.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

RACE 5: FILLIES & MARES BENCHMARK 78 (1400m)

Ron Quinton had a winner in these colours at Hawkesbury on Tuesday; he and owner Ray Gall aim for a second one on Saturday via WATCH MY GIRL (2) who won her first two runs back this preparation before an honourable effort in the Angst at HQ on Everest day. Jason Collet sticks. There were a lot of eye-catchers on Big Dance day at Randwick, chief among them was CALLISTEMON (9) who was first-up from the Queensland Oaks. Big track, 1400m, fitter.

BET: Watch My Girl to win, quinella 2,9.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

RACE 6: BENCHMARK 88 (1850m)

ROGUE BEAR (8) gets the hometown advantage on Saturday, that said, he has never raced at Newcastle before this. The Kris Lees-trained import ran a good race in last year’s Big Dance and wasn’t too bad in the Little Dance the other day; a mile is just too short for him these days, even first-up. Talk about well weighted, GLAD YOU THINK SO (10) was third to Riff Rocket and Ceolwulf in the Derby and gets in with 54.5gs here, third-up and in good nick.

BET: Rogue Bear each-way, quinella 8,10.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

RACE 7: GROUP 3 SPRING STAKES (3yo, 1600m)

Reasons and excuses will hold no more if ALTHOFF (1) is beaten fair and square in the Spring Stakes. The $500,000 yearling and Denise’s Joy descendant hasn’t run badly in the Heritage, Tapp-Craig or the Callander-Presnell; I don’t think he has the acceleration to come from behind and run low 33s on leader type tracks. Good draw. SNITZANIOVA (8) looks to me to be one on the up but will still have to go up another level to win. Always been a TOTOKA (7) man but she might have to pass them all?

BET: Althoff to win.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

RACE 8: GROUP 2 THE HUNTER (1300m)

FAR TOO EASY (4) has won 9 of 22, let’s agree it should be 10, he was huge in the Ramornie last year! We all saw how dominant he was winning the Kosciuszko with his 59kg. No doubt that he is ‘good enough’ to win The Hunter, it might come down to is he good enough to win from barrier 13 of 15? Far Too Easy is coming out of a Kosciuszko, PRIVATE EYE (1) is coming out of an Everest and Russell Balding. BRIASA (14) is untapped! Can’t wait to see how he goes.

BET: Far Too Easy to win, Daily Double 1st Leg (4), 2nd Leg (12).

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

RACE 9: LISTED THE BEAUFORD (2300m)

STOCKMAN (7) returns to Newcastle for only the second time in his 62 completed starts. Of course that first visit saw him finish second to the mighty Duais in the Group 1 Tancred Stakes in March 2022. The Sir Patrick Hogan-bred 8YO sent out some very encouraging signs when a close and closing fourth in the Rosehill Cup two weeks ago in the same $750,000 race where WYCLIF (4) was second. SPIRIT RIDGE (1) was second in the Cup here in 2023.

BET: Stockman each-way, quinella 4,7.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

RACE 10: BENCHMARK 94 (1300m)

We start the day with the Max Lees Classic, how appropriate it would be to end the card with a Paul Perry trained winner and son of one of the giants of equine Novocastrians – Choisir. I speak of course of NOSEY PARKER (12) who I reckon had the biggest finish of any horse racing at Newcastle on Saturday. Let’s hope he can bring it home. ANG POW (10) always trials well but gee whiz he looks in good shape! AMUR (7) and FLYING CRAZY (5) are players in a genuine Get Out Stakes.

BET: Nosey Parker each-way, box trifecta and First 4 Nos. 3,5,7,10,12.

Originally published as Shayne O’Cass’s race-by-race tips, analysis for 2024 The Hunter day at Newcastle on Saturday