The Daily Telegraph and Racenet form analyst Shayne O’Cass provides his best bets and race-by-race analysis for Newcastle and top picks at Port Macquarie and Mudgee on Saturday.

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NEWCASTLE TIPS

BEST BET

Race 1 No.11: VIVIAN’S EXPRESS

Well-bred 3YO resuming off some super encouraging trials.

NEXT BEST

Race 7 No.2: HURRY MISS

Epic blue blood in the Yulong colours who is bound for better races.

VALUE BET

Race 8 No.11: VALENTINO PRINCE

Has been working his way towards a well overdue win.

QUADDIE

Race 5: 1, 3, 4, 5

Race 6: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10

Race 7: 2, 5

Race 8: 4, 7, 11

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

KEAGAN LATHAM will be popular in the TAB Jockeys Challenge as always.

PORT MACQUARIE TIPS

BEST BET

Race 1 No.8: KHANT FAIL

Placed at half of her six starts on heavy tracks.

NEXT BEST

Race No.5: HEART OF PLATINUM

Reliable mare who has done just enough on Heavy to warrant top pick.

MUDGEE TIPS

BEST BET

Race 3 No.7: ALEISHKA

Former UK galloper whose three Australian runs point to an imminent win.

NEXT BEST

Race 2 No.5: FLEETLY

Split two handy horses in a recent Scone trial.

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NEWCASTLE INSIDE MAIL

RACE 1: MIDWAY MAIDEN PLATE (900m)

VIVIAN’S EXPRESS (11) is a Capitalist filly who is in-bred to Mr Prospector – there’s two red flags for her chances on a heavy track but let’s not be too quick to judge. Her form in two runs in March doesn’t read great but her trials were most impressive. FARNCIFUL (7) was a $100,000 yearling – cheap now for a Farnan – and she happens to boast a champion in the family, none other than Chief’s Crown. Her trial win was narrow but convincing. The Warrior has a race fitness edge and home ground advantage. LADY TALEA (8) ran well from the back to finish third to Balmain Darling and The Warrior in a Newcastle Super Maiden on a Heavy 10.

BET: VIVIAN’S EXPRESS each-way or if scratched Farnciful each-way.

RACE 2: MAIDEN PLATE (1890m)

HIGHLAND LAD (4) has raced three times and you would have to say that each run was a little bit better than the previous. Indeed, the latest run was astronomically better than the one before that so he is clearly a horse on the right sort of trajectory for a maiden win. Talk about a misleading record, how is AUTUMN HEIR (1) eight starts for no wins and no placings? Trust me, that is not a reflection of his talent or his prospects of a medal here. Grey-coloured D’Argento son SEPTIMUS (6) and somewhat proven heavy tracker FARRIAGE (3) have claims.

BET: HIGHLAND LAD to win, quinella 1, 4.

RACE 3: 3YO MAIDEN HANDICAP (1250m)

AUTUMN KING (1) is an exciting horse, but we may have to wait for another day with him. Keep a good eye out for him though, he is a real racehorse. Assuming he is absent on the day, VIDIA (6) could play the role of the “big improver” here. Not that she was that terrible when sixth on debut but she had trialled better than she ran. Race experience should help her in this. MISS MACLAINE (5) is by Wootton Bassett out of Toorak Affair, a winner of 14 races including a Hobart Cup. As for Miss Maclaine’s lead-in, she won a Kembla trial by a nose but was better than them by more than that.

BET: VIDIA each-way.

RACE 4: SUPER MAIDEN HANDICAP (1400m)

MICHELANGELO (9) could be saved for Wednesday on the Kensington but gee whiz he looks to have come back well. Big call, but I bet he runs in the VRC Derby this year. Switzerland’s brother DECORUM (8) looks headed for Goulburn on Sunday. BENDRODT (1) has been costly but consistent. This race is going to fall away big time on the day. Let’s just hope the rest come.

BET: MICHELANGELO to win or if scratched Bendrodt to win.

RACE 5: CG&E BENCHMARK 64 HANDICAP (1400m)

DANISH PRINCE (3) will be ridden by Deanne Panya who booted home a double at Bathurst on Monday, one of them for Danish Prince’s trainer Marc Conners. As for this son of Dane Shadow, his record on heavy tracks is 12 starts for a win and seven placings, five of them were seconds. His record at Newcastle is four runs for 1-1-1. MIRRA IMPACT (4) broke his maiden at Newcastle and has run four tip-top races since. He was beaten a nose on a Heavy 10 first-up at Kembla.

BET: DANISH PRINCE to win, quinella 3, 4.

RACE 6: BENCHMARK 68 HANDICAP (1250m)

DIVINE BENE (7), CRYPTONIC (5) and LOS PADRES (2) were all entered for the Midway at Randwick on Saturday. Given that the actual make-up of the field is anyone’s guess, let us maybe zero in REBEL RHAPSODY (10) in the Domeland colours. If successful, it would be the team’s new head trainer Nacim Dilmi’s first win from not that many runners. The horse’s sire Trapeze Artist wasn’t much of a wet-tracker but Rebel Rhapsody won on a Heavy 8 over 1400m at Tamworth last start for outgoing Domeland trainer Sara Ryan.

BET: REBEL RHAPSODY to place.

RACE 7: F&M BENCHMARK 64 HANDICAP (1400m)

HURRY MISS (2) has some of the best wet-track sires of all time as her broodmare sires. How about Pierro, Woodman, Bletchingly and Lunchtime! On top of that, her third dam is Canny Lass and we all know how good her brother Canny Lad was on wet. Hurry Miss is yet to race on a heavy track but she won on a Soft 7 at Hawkesbury on August 12. Fans of the “greys in the wet” system would have been in the queue when the Mitchell Beer-trained SPIRITUALISTIC (5) won at Kembla last start. She didn’t just win, she won by four lengths on a Heavy 9. LAUREL HILL (1) goes well on any surface.

BET: HURRY MISS to win.

RACE 8: CLASS 1 HANDICAP (1600m)

VALENTINO PRINCE (11) has won just one race from 27 starts and that was in July last year but it was at Newcastle where he races often and races best. He prefers the sting out, keeping in mind his next best run was a second on a Heavy 10 also at Newcastle. If he is going to win this preparation, one feels it might be here – and he’ll be big odds. ALABAMA BLITZ (4) is trained by Denim Wynen who is on a hat-trick after wins at Rosehill and Wyong. This one was second of five at her first run for Wynen on a Heavy 10 at Newcastle on August 9.

BET: VALENTINO PRINCE each-way.

Originally published as Newcastle best bets, inside mail for Saturday August 23, 2025