The Newcastle Cup is one of the country’s most highly anticipated provincial staying contests, but I think it’s fair to say that the 2019 edition would not look out of place on a Saturday in town.
A capacity Newcastle Cup field has been taken and some serious Group 1 potential is engaged. There’s a case to be made for many in the market and I’ve got my sights firmly set on the horses that I think are every chance of winning The Metropolitan.
My 2019 Newcastle Cup tips can be found below.
Former Euro stayer Red Cardinal promised plenty but delivered virtually nothing during his first couple of Aussie preps, but his form in autumn this year suggested that the penny has well and truly dropped, and I think that he’ll win the Newcastle Cup first-up on Friday. The Montjeu gelding recorded consecutive wins in the Listed Parramatta Cup and the Group 3 Sky High Stakes when resuming last time, and a repeat of either effort would have him winning this. He’s had the benefit of a couple of trials in the lead-up and looks ready to go fresh again.
The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Hush Writer has a nice fitness edge on most of his key rivals and would not look out of place in the Newcastle Cup winner’s stall. The Japanese-bred stayer won the Listed McKell Cup first-up in June and while he was only fair at his next two starts, produced a gallant effort to finish second behind Wu Gok in the Listed Wyong Cup a fortnight ago. The rise in trip will suit and he can fight out the finish.
Kiwi raider Sir Charles Road has been set for the Metrop again and while he is yet to have made much of an impact in two starts this time, I think a race of this quality and conditions will be right up his alley. The six-year-old son of Myboycharlie finished seventh in last year’s Melbourne Cup and returned in autumn this year for another couple of credible results, including a close-up fourth in the Group 2 Chairman’s most notably. He gets out to an appropriate trip here and has the class to win.
Vaucluse Bay doesn’t win out of turn these days, but he has been a model of consistency recently and I can’t find a reason why he can’t be in the finish of the Newcastle Cup as well. The Chris Waller-trained six-year-old ran third in the Grafton Cup in winter and has continued to poke around Saturday grade races in Queensland well, while there was also a lot to like about the way he hit the line for third in the Wyong Cup a fortnight ago. He’s another horse that will relish the rise in trip.