By Gary Harley
Recent Zealand-bred filly 'Secure Future', wearing the colors of global star Yu Long Investments, has good prospects in the Des Edser Memorial Super Maiden Plate (1350m), the opening event of the Newcastle Jockey Club's legendary Boxing Day race meeting on the Beaumont Track this Thursday.
Trained by Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald, Unthreatening Future ($2.90 on TAB) is well weighted under the given conditions, weighing just 52.5kg on the back after being claimed by the stable's talented apprentice Mollie Fitzgerald .
Certain Future (Jason Collett; colors: bottle green and white) takes 4th place on her debut ahead of Alinea at the Kensington Track. Image by Bradley Photographers
The filly weighed 58.5kg on her debut when she was beaten less than two lengths when favorite at the Kensington Track on December 6th.
Previously she beat the clever Madam Instrife in a Randwick test.
On his debut, “Secure Future” had a nice run to secure himself in seventh place, and after going off the rails around the 250-meter mark, the three-year-old finished powerful.
This race is a step up in class and the rails barrier is worth its weight in gold.
Mark Minervini's mare Rubi's Serve ($2.80 favourite) is in career best form and well placed in the 1350m For The Love Of Freda Benchmark 64 Handicap.
She had four starts in this preparation, three of them on the actual Newcastle track.
At her first start on November 2, the mare found the 900m too miniature when placed behind three-year-old Boom Private Harry. Up to 1300m with two starts back, Rubi's serve came from far behind and won the Newcastle Maiden.
Last started on December 7th she was beaten at Newcastle by the unbeaten and promising Churchill's Choice, who won at Randwick last Saturday. Lee Magorrian rode the mare in the last start and retains the mount.
Consistent Central Coast mare Hot Hotspot (favorite $3.20) runs well when fresh and 4-year-old Russian Revolution has a good chance of first place in the 1150m The Prince Of Merewether After Party 64 Handicap .
Her two wins have been both first and second place, and she recently won two trials comfortably at Newcastle and Wyong. At the last competition in Newcastle she got ahead of her stablemate Much Much Better and prevailed in the final 200m to win unchallenged by 2.18 lengths.
The mare passed barrier two perfectly and is another good mount for Lee Magorrian.
Kris Lees' filly Alliri ($3.10 equal favourite), placed in her only three starts, can break the 1200m Recycle Today Greener Tomorrow 3YO Maiden Plate.
After narrow defeats at Scone and Taree, the three-year-old went to the Kensington Track on December 6th and was defeated by 1.5 lengths, finishing in third place. She rode the speed to second place and this field is not that powerful.
James Cummings has two three-year-old fillies competing in the 1200m Lucky's Scrap Metals Maiden Plate.
Jean Van Overmeire rides Magenta ($13) who found the line fine despite only being beaten two lengths to finish 9th on debut at Hawkesbury on December 8th. The longer trip is ideal and she pulled perfectly.
Luminol ($9), daughter of 2007 Golden Slipper winner Forensics, makes her debut after a very gentle test at the Kensington Track on December 9.
The Boxing Day meeting attracts one of the largest crowds to Newcastle each year and with fine weather forecast, the club's second largest crowd is expected this year.
The club will then take a miniature break before hosting a Gosford transfer meeting on Friday January 10th.
View the final fields with full form and race replays for the Beaumont Track here
