Australian racing tips – Thursday 31 March 2022 – Newcastle

Best Bet: STELLAR PERFORMER (Race 5)

Value Bet: WHY BIG BRY (Race 8)

Jackpot (race 5 – 8).

Cost: R54.00  

Race 5

STELLAR PERFORMER is a 4yr old filly taking on the boys, but she is a three time winner from just the eight starts to date and followed up one of those victories in her penultimate run over 1300M with a fourth place finish last time out over 1500M, just over a length and a half behind the winner, despite being slow away and overracing in the early and middle stages. She made good late progress in that contest suggesting that she should appreciate the extra ground on offer here. She will have to negotiate draw nine, but has her peak outing after returning from an 18 week rest and is taken to be the best bet on the day’s card.

SACRAMENTO JOE showed marked improvement to win his last start over 1900M by a head. He was bumped shortly after the start and then came three wide into the home straight, before hitting the front at the 150M mark and holding off all the later challengers in the dash down to the wire. He jumps from gate five and will get 2kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice to aid his cause.

DR EVIL showed solid improvement to claim a 1.3L victory last time out over a mile. He unleashed a powerful finish that day so the extra distance of today’s race should be to his liking and the form of that race has been franked. He is drawn wide in gate ten, but he should be doing his best work late.

Race 6

ENDORSEMENT has only had the two runs to date, winning on debut over six furlongs and then finishing in second place next time out when stepping up to seven furlongs, two lengths back from the winner. He overraced in the middle stages and then had to be held up between the 400M and 250M marks, before staying on well over the closing stages. On that effort, he should enjoy the extra trip and from a handy draw two, he could give top jockey Hugh Bowman the first two legs of the day’s Jackpot.

ROCKBARTON ROMAN has finished closer to the winner in each of his last three runs, culminating with his maiden win last time out over 1500M, albeit by just a short-head. He struck the front entering the home stretch and then battled all the way down to the wire, just lasting long enough to claim victory. He has his peak run after returning from a 21 week break and will have to overcome a wide draw eleven, but he should use his early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy.

THOUSAND YEARS is a 3yr old filly taking on males, but she is lightly raced, having had just the three outings to date, finishing third first time out and then following up her penultimate start victory over 1500M with a second place finish last time out over seven furlongs, 2.3L adrift of the winner when returning from a 23 week absence. She was slow away on that occasion, but ran on strongly over the latter stages and whilst drawn the widest of them all in gate fourteen, she should give the boys a good run for their money.

Race 7

HARVEY’S WAY won over this distance three runs back and then was a tad disappointing when eighth last time out when dropping down to six furlongs, just over five lengths behind the winner when returning from a 17 week absence, but he was slow away that day and found himself at the back of the field before staying on well. That was his first unplaced finish in his five outings to date and from pole position, he is likely to do better over what appears to be a more suitable trip.

PIPPALI is a 4yr old filly taking on boys, but she was returning from a similar 17 week rest when ending up in third place last time out over seven furlongs. just under three and a half lengths off the winner. She had to be eased off the heels of other runner’s that day, but still made good late progress over the latter stages of the contest. She is drawn the widest of them all in gate eighteen, but she is likely to be dropped out of it in the early stages and then will be hoping to run down the leaders over the closing stages.

CONTRIBUTINGFACTOR is the stable companion of the top pick and finished fourth in his latest outing over seven furlongs, when also returning from a 17 week absence, three and a half lengths behind the winner. He sat just off the pace in that contest and then accelerated well, only to be nabbed close to home. Even from a wide gate ten, he makes a solid back-up for the yard.

Race 8

The day’s value bet, WHY BIG BRY won his penultimate start over six furlongs by five lengths and then went on to finish second over the same c&d next time out, just a half length behind the winner. He tried to go from jump to wire that day and was only run out of it very late. He has his peak run since returning from a 64 week absence and the fact that his connections have brought him back into racing after such a lengthy absence would seem to suggest that they believe that he still has something more to offer them. The gelding is sure to put his cozy draw two to good use.

SUPER EXTREME won over five furlongs on debut, putting 3.3L between himself and the opposition and could be just about anything. He kicked clear at the 200M pole that day and the race was over as a contest at that point. He on the other hand has pulled a wideish gate eight, but he would have learnt from that experience and with the natural improvement that can be expected, he should be right up there when they hit the line.

AS YOU WERE has consistent formlines to his name, having won his penultimate run over six furlongs and then finishing fourth next time out over five furlongs, 1.8L behind the winner. He was slow away that day, but finished off his race strongly. He jumps from draw three and will have ex-SA jockey Keagan Latham in the irons, so will get all the necessary assistance from the saddle.