Aquileon has improved for two starts back this time, and he is ready to win when he steps out at Newcastle this afternoon.
The Gleneagles gelding has been a consistent performer at a similar grade since arriving in Australia, and he is yet to miss placing in two starts for Kris Lees.
Fitter third-up and out to 2300m, this looks the perfect race for him.
There isn’t a lot of form to study ahead of Race 3 at Newcastle today, but I thought that there was a lot to like about To His Credit’s debut performance, and he’ll take plenty of improvement for that experience.
The Hellbent colt showed ability at the trials prior to debuting, and he ran home well to finish fourth behind the likes of Robusto at Warwick Farm earlier this month.
He is drawn well under Hugh Bowman and can fight out the finish.
Astero is the one that I want to be with in this afternoon’s Newcastle Provincial Championships Qualifier.
The four-year-old son of Zoustar has been a strong and consistent performer for the Matt Smitt yard since debuting, and he mustered an eye-catching turn of foot to steam home from the tail of the field and finish third at Rosehill last time out.
He is a few weeks between runs, but he has been kept up to the mark with a trial at Randwick, and he can settle a little closer today from barrier 7.
I’m confident that Matt Smith can saddle a race-to-race double with Cool Lad going around in the last.
Cool Lad has gone to another level recently, winning races at Nowra and Wagga before only just missing in Saturday metro company at Doomben last time.
He’s another who has trialled since his last competitive start, and he has options today from the rails draw.