Day 1
Newcastle Jockey Club will host its first two-day Autumn Carnival in more than 20 years next week.
The NJC’s Autumn flagship event the $160,000 Group 3 Suez Newcastle Newmarket will highlight a bumper program on Friday March 8.
Suez is the NJC’s recycling and waste management contractor.
The Newcastle Newmarket is an ideal lead up for the Group 1 $3 Million Doncaster Mile at Randwick on April 6.
The legendary Randwick trainer Tommy Smith won the first ever Newcastle Newmarket with Seacraft in 1955.
The race was elevated to Listed status in 1979 and in 1992 South Australian Blue Boss won the initial Group 3 Newmarket.
The smart Lanciato was successful in 2018 for Mark Newnham and Rachel King and looks set for a return to the Newcastle track to defend his crown.
Two years back Group 1 star Happy Clapper was successful on his was to be accumulating $6.5 million prizemoney.
The Newcastle Newmarket Raceday coincides with International Women’s Day and the NJC have introduced a Ladies In Racing Theme.
Moet and Chandon will sponsor a women’s lunch in the Trackside marquee.
Group 1 winning jockey Rachel King and former champion apprentice Samantha Clenton on the verge of a comeback to race riding are guest speakers of the day in between races.
Day 2
On Saturday March 9 the $150,000 Polytrack Provincial Championships Qualifier (1400m) is the feature race. The first three placegetters progress to the $500,000 final to be run at Randwick on April 13.
Kris Lees has won three of the four Newcastle Qualifiers with Magic Of Dreams (2015) Clevedon Bay (2017) and Princess Posh last year. He has won two of the four finals with Danish Twist (2016) and Serene Miss (2018).
You can book tables online at newcastleracecourse.com.au or call 4961 1573.
The Beauford Club Luncheon on March 7 has bookmaker Tom Waterhouse as guest speaker. Following the Beauford Club Luncheon the NJC will conduct a Newcastle Newmarket Calcutta in the Ascot Bar.