The Waterhouse-Bott stable have accepted with three of their team for Thursday’s Beaumont track meeting at Newcastle and all have legitimate prospects. Lightly raced 3-year-old Manuscript lines up in the 1250 metre Benchmark 64 Handicap with Winona Costin in the saddle. It will be the geldings fourth race start, and he has led all the way in all three starts to date. He debuted when a $1.50 chance in a Scone 2-year-old in March and was run down late going down by .19 of a length. Manuscript went to the spelling paddock and resumed with an all the way Wyong Maiden win by more than two lengths in November. Last start on December 7 the 3-year-old led and tired, to finish fifth in a red-hot Rosehill Benchmark 72 won by Private Harry. He is expected to lead from the rails barrier and drops significantly in class on Thursday.
The Waterhouse-Bott stable will saddle up favourite Monty The Missile in the 1200 meter Vale Sam Kavanagh Maiden Handicap and he has the best form. He is a five-year-old with only three race starts under his belt including a head second on debut on the Newcastle course proper on April 6. Two weeks later Monty The Missile was backed into $1.35 at Kembla and was run down and beaten 2.5 lengths. The gelding was only 1.15 lengths from the winner first up at Warwick Farm on December 4. Jean Van Overmeire rider of 51 winners this season has the mount. The powerhouse stables’ other runner Alliteration is on debut in the 1200 metre Fillies and Mares Maiden Handicap after an impressive recent trial. Rachel King makes the trip to ride the filly.
Ciaron Maher has four acceptors at the meeting including the two favourites Kotaishi and Reasonable in the 1350 metre Maiden Plate. Irishman Dylan Browne-McMonagle rides Kotaishi a beaten odds-on favourite on the Newcastle course proper on December 1. Three starts back the son of Snitzel finished fourth behind stablemate Snitzanova in a Kensington Maiden and Snitzanova then won a Group 3 double – Newcastle Spring Stakes and Sandown Guineas. Reasonable raced by Coolmore and others has been placed in three of four starts this prep at Canterbury, Warwick Farm and Hawkesbury.
Kris lees will saddle up the short- priced favourite of the meeting, Tasoraay in the opening event the 1350 metre Maiden Plate. Bred and raced by Lees racing manager Lucas Miller the 3-year-old has been placed in three of his four starts. This horse has never been far away after going down by a length on a heavy track in a Newcastle 2-year-old in June. After a spell the son of Tassort resumed and in three starts this prep was beaten half a length at Doomben, three quarters of a length at Canterbury and less than two lengths on the Kensington track. Tasoraay has drawn wide but has 2-kilogram weight relief with inform stable apprentice Ben Osmond in the saddle.
David Pfeiffer’s mare Overice beaten three quarters of a length in the recent Cessnock Cup is ready to break through in the 2000 metre Benchmark 64 Handicap. She has raced on the speed in her past two starts and was narrowly beaten at Scone two starts back. Rachel King has the mount on the 6-year-old.
Private Harry has an exhibition gallop between races 3 and 4.
The Beaumont track will also host the NJC iconic Boxing Day Race meeting next Thursday 26 December.