Hawkesbury trainer Mitch Newman is heading into Wednesday’s Wyong meeting confident about the chances of his two runners Bell Serenade and Miss Casier.
Newman believes both gallopers have their “foot on the till” and considers the Wyong track will be ideal.
“These two horses, the way they race are going to suit Wyong and both have good draws,” he said.
“I’ve got Josh (Adams) back on them both. We have had a lot of luck. I can relate to him and he understands my horses and puts in extra work and watches them even when he’s not riding them.
“He’s been a real asset to me. He comes down and rides work if I need him to. He’s always there for me.”
Newman has accepted with his three-year-old gelding Bell Serenade in both the 1200m and 1350m maidens and will make a final decision after studying the fields.
“They’ve both ended up pretty small fields but I’ll go over them, do the form and decide which way to go.
“The 1350m might be the right distance at this time in his prep. The quick look I had there might have been a couple of horses in the 1200m that look to have good chances. The other race looked a touch easier at first glance.”
Newman said he believes Bell Serenade, who has had three seconds from 11 starts, is ready to win.
“His foot is right on the till. He’s been a touch unlucky in his last couple where he has been narrowly beaten and I’m just trying to find the easiest race for him with the best value.
“He’s got good gate speed. He’ll probably be up right on them, either outside the leader or just in behind them somewhere.”
He said Bell Serenade should eventually race up to 1400m and even further.
“He’s starting to relax in his races and I honestly think he’s a better horse when he’s got something to chase. He has been out in front in his last couple but he chased a horse there at Hawkesbury and went hard to the line.
“With more racing he’ll learn to relax better and the seven furlongs will be no dramas for him.”
Newman said Bell Serenade handled the heavy at Kembla last start and was also placed on good tracks.
“If we get rain or it’s a good track won’t worry him at all.”
He also rates his filly Miss Casier a strong chance of bringing up her second career win in the 1000m Class 1.
“She’s just a little professional, she’s quite speedy. She’s always been fast out of the gates.
“She led at her first start at Newcastle on the bit without them even moving on her and it takes a pretty fast horse to do that. She tries really hard.”
The Delago Deluxe filly is resuming from a spell, having won a trial at Hawkesbury on March 19.
“She came back first up in her second preparation and we won with her over the 900m at Muswellbrook. It was a good win.
“Second up she raced a bit flat and I erred third up and ran her over an unsuitable distance that she just wasn’t ready for.
“We brought her back to the 1100m and she was back on the bunny and just got beat.
“We tipped her out and gave her six weeks to strengthen up and she’s come back just a more mature horse this time in.
“I gave her two trials last preparation because I wanted to have her ready first up but this time I only went the one trial because she seems a lot of forward than she did last prep.
“She’s come on nicely since the Hawkesbury trial the other day and galloped sensationally on Saturday morning. She’s drawn well and from the good gate, with her good natural speed she’ll be either in front or just in behind them.”
SELECTIONS:
RACE 1 – 12.50PM: PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL APRIL 14 AT ATC AT MAIDEN HANDICAP (1200m): 1 BELL SERENADE, 2 Belle Of Clonmel, 3 City Of Love, 4 Don’t Over Think.
RACE 2 – 1.25PM: JOHN BOOKS MEMORIAL NSW FORMER MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT MAIDEN HANDICAP (1350m): 1 JAWHARA, 2 Belle Of Clonmel, 3 White Lioness, 4 Bell Serenade.
RACE 3 – 2PM: KARVON PROPERTY VALUERS MAIDEN PLATE (1000m): 1 ABOUKIR BAY, 2 Bounding Badger, 3 Lexiloo, 4 Pay For The Thrill.
RACE 4 – 2.35PM: EARLY BIRD MEMBERSHIP AT WYONG RACE CLUB ONLY $55 MAIDEN PLATE (1600m): 1 REGAL CANNON, 2 Kaapfever, 3 Vindex, 4 Royal Anthem.
RACE 5 – 3.10PM: WYONG FARMERS MARKET APRIL 7 BENCHMARK 70 HANDICAP (1600m): 1 HAPPY GO PLUCKY, 2 Lightning Lockie, 3 Wallangarra, 4 Macquarie Magic.
RACE 6 – 3.45PM: WWW.TAB.COM.AU CLASS 1HANDICAP (1000m): 1 PROGRESSION, 2 Eleazar, 3 Venture Capital, 4 Showgals.
RACE 7 – 4.20PM: WRC 2018/2019 SPONSOR OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE CLASS 1 & MAIDEN PLATE (2100m): 1 DEPENDABLE, 2 Regal Cannon, 3 Just Gorgeous, 4 Never Been Another.
RACE 8 – 4.55PM: CARLTON DRAUGHT CLASS 2 HANDICAP (1350m): 1 LENINGRAD, 2 Barbary, 3 The Patrician, 4 Frogmarch.