$1 million goes on the line in Newcastle on Saturday when a talented field of sprinters assembles for The Hunter.
There are ten winners to be found in total, and you can find all of my thoughts and 2023 The Hunter Tips below.
The Hunter Day launches with the Max Lees Classic for two-year-olds, over the sprint trip of just 900m.
Just three of the nine confirmed starters have race day experience, and with plenty of debutants prominent in betting, I am happy to stay out of it from a betting perspective.
This is another wide-open Midway race, and there’s a case to be made for a few of them, including Cosmic Field.
Cosmic Field clearly needed his first run back from a break when seventh, beaten ten lengths at Randwick-Kensington last month, but turned in an enormously improved performance to win here at Newcastle last time.
This is a bit harder, but it doesn’t look beyond him, and we can have an each way play at the price.
He’s going to need early luck after drawing the carpark, but I thought that Rematch might have a lot of these covered for class.
Rematch finished sixth, beaten just over three lengths in Class 2 company at his first run back from a break, but he has since won a Class 1 over 1300m here at Newcastle, before running second at Muswellbrook at his latest.
The mile looks ideal, the booking of Nash Rawiller obviously helps, and he’s another whom we can have something on each way.
This is another open race with a few winning chances engaged, but I thought it looked a nice one for Zoe’ Promise second-up from a spell.
Zoe’s Promise’s form tailed off at the end of her last prep, but her fresh performances are always full of merit, and she kept working to the line to fill the minors at Rosehill when resuming.
With natural improvement and from the good draw this week, I think she’ll be right in the finish again.
Pervade returned to winning form with an impressive performance in BM78 company at his latest, and I think that he can continue his rise through the grades on The Hunter Day.
The Kingman gelding has improved with each start this time in, and was only denied by Cinque Terri at Warwick Farm before hitting the line at his latest.
He’s drawn to receive every chance again on Saturday, and with options in running from the rails draw, he need only hold his form to be in the finish again.
Quality edition of this $300K staying featured and several Group 1-performned horses are engaged, including Stroke Of Luck.
I followed this horse a few times during his three-year-old season, and he ended that prep with a nice performance for third in the Queensland Derby up in Brisbane.
Having finished midfield in BM88 company at Randwick in his first run back this time, the Fastnet Rock gelding has since won over 2000m, and he was last seen finishing just over a head second in the Rosehill Gold Cup.
He’s hard fit, getting out in trip at this point of his prep looks ideal, I think he’s going to take beating.
I’m with Influential third-up in Saturday’s Spring Stakes at Newcastle.
Influential couldn’t have been more impressive on his way to a dominant win in maiden company first-up this time, but didn’t enjoy the easily run in the Carbine Club Stakes at Flemington on Derby Day and finished down the order.
I have little doubt that he has improved for that hit-out, while barrier 7 and Josh Parr are both ticks for him this week.
Some quality sprinters are engaged in this year’s The Hunter field, including Mazu, who is in peak order.
The Group 1 winner did take a couple to get going this time in, finishing down the order in The Everest second-up, but I thought that he was noticeably improved when fifth behind Bella Nipotina in the Giga Kick Stakes last time out.
I like that he has been kept up to the mark with a trial since that effort, and this is a noticeably weaker race.
This is a drop in class for Promitto, and I thought that it looked a nice opportunity for him to do something.
The Divine Prophet gelding won in Group 2 company during his two-year-old campaign, and returned some nice performances as a three-year-old as well.
His first couple of starts back this time were fair at best, but I did think he was a little better in Listed company at Hawkesbury last week.
He does require further improvement, but amongst one of the more open fields of the day, I thought he had each way claims.
Robusto is a dual acceptor at Caulfield on Saturday, but I am of the opinion that this is the far better race for him.
Robusto returned to action with a fair effort to finish fifth in BM88 company at Randwick last month, but he didn’t enjoy the conditions at Flemington on Cup Day and finished down the order.
This would be a decent drop in the weights for him, I think that the 1300m is ideal, and he strips fitter this week.