Newcastle Hunter hall of fame trainer Peter Snowden will saddle up two favourites at Saturday’s Newcastle Jockey Club meeting and the pair appear standouts in their respective events.
Snowden prepares flashy colt Beadman, an odds-on favourite in a two-year-old maiden plate (1250 metres).
Named after the great jockey Darren, Beadman, son of champion sire Snitzel, was narrowly beaten on debut at Kembla on April 15.
He drifted back from the wide barrier and was near the tail of the field at the home turn, before flashing home late to finish second and only a neck from the winner over 1000m.
Beadman will appreciate the longer trip and Mitchell Bell has the mount.
Snowden’s two-year-old Dundeel filly, Dundeel Flyer, is well placed in a maiden handicap (1300m).
After an impressive Rosehill trial, the filly went to Goulburn for her first start and was backed from $3.30 into $2.80 on April 8.
She raced in second place all the way and went down by under a length. Bell also has the mount on Dundeel Flyer.
John O’Shea and Tom Charlton, partners in another high-profile Sydney stable, are sending a team to Newcastle on April 26.
Their best chance is a three-year-old Buckenara in a super maiden plate (1500m).
On Boxing Day, the gelding last raced with a 1.79 lengths third in a Randwick super maiden.
After travelling outside the leader, he put his head in front 200m out and tired late.
Buckenara has had two recent trials and was gelded since his last start. Keegan Latham gets the ride.