In-form mare Essence Of Success is favoured to give Gai Waterhouse a second straight Newcastle Gold Cup.
Essence Of Success was one of 17 acceptors for Thursday’s $185,000 race and she heads early TAB Sportsbet markets at $4.60.
The five-year-old is enjoying a lucrative campaign, highlighted by four wins and a last-start second in the Wyong Gold Cup.
Queensland jockey Chris Munce has been booked for the Newcastle Cup in which Essence Of Success has the 53kg limit.
Waterhouse won the race last year with Stratofortress, her fourth success in the Group Three race.
Essence Of Success will have to overcome barrier 14 with second favourite The Verminator ($5) faring slightly better in gate nine.
Third favourite Green Moon ($7), a last-start Flemington placegetter over 2000m, drew off the track in gate 17.
Topweight, the multiple Cups winner Ironstein, has barrier five while Queensland stayer Raeburn has gate one.
AAP TURF