In a busy week for Gai Waterhouse leading up to the Golden Slipper, the trainer will send out two runners in the Group Three Newcastle Newmarket.
Woodbine and Countryman represent the stable in Wednesday’s eight-horse field with the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Gypsy Diamond the early favourite.
Laser Hawk, second in 2013 for Waterhouse, is the 59kg topweight as he attempts to win his first race for trainer Joe Pride.
Waterhouse has four runners in Saturday’s $3.5 million Slipper at Rosehill including the favourite Vancouver.
While there is only a small field for the 1400m feature, there will be 15 horses vying for a spot in the $500,000 Provincial Championship via the qualifier, also over 1400m.
The Kim Waugh-trained Oxford Poet is the TAB’s favourite to make amends for his last-start failure in his heat at Wyong on March 5 when he knuckled over jumping out out of barrier.
He made his way to the front but had spent too much energy and finished sixth as favourite with the race won by the Bede Murray-trained Sure And Fast.
Murray has also qualified Darci Magic and O’Reilly’s Revenge after their one-two finish in Friday’s heat at the trainer’s home track, Kembla Grange.
The veteran South Coast trainer will be out to add a fourth finalist with Darci’s Affair to run in the Newcastle heat.
Darci’s Affair will be ridden by Jason Collett who won on Sure And Fast and came a close second on O’Reilly’s Revenge.
The Provincial Championship final is at Randwick on April 11, a week after the country horses do battle in their Championship.
