Latest News

Newcastle filly The Deel Is Dun should relish the step up to 2000m for the first time when she attempts to maintain her perfect record at Taree on Monday.

The Jason Deamer-trained three-year-old daughter of Dundeel lines up for just her sixth race start in Monday’s Ironjack Mid Benchmark 58 Hcp (2000m) and is chasing three wins from as many starts at the Taree track.

The Deel Is Dun broke through at her third career start last December when she ran home strongly from back in the field to win her Maiden at Taree over 1600m and returned to the track most recently at her second run this campaign to win a Benchmark 58 on April 30, again running home well at the end of the 1600m.

“She hasn’t run for almost four weeks but I think she’ll be very hard to beat stepping up to the 2000m,” said Deamer.

“She’s really stepped up once we’ve been able to get her up to the 1600m and the way she finished off the race last time the 2000m looks ideal."

Deamer thinks the filly will only improve further as she matures.

“She’s not the biggest filly going around and should keep on improving as she gets older and matures a bit more,” he said. “She may just have a couple of more runs this prep before she goes for another break.”

The Deel Is Dun carries the topweight of 58.5kg in Monday’s race and will be partnered again by non-claiming apprentice Samantha Clenton who rode the filly for the first time in her last-start win at Taree.

Clenton, apprenticed to Kris Lees, also partners Deamer’s one other runner at Taree on Monday, the first-starter Nostro Re who lines up in the Mid Coast Automotive Maiden Plate (1000m).

A three-year-old by Not A Single Doubt out of Card Queen, Nostro Re is a full-brother to former top sprinting filly Karuta Queen.

Karuta Queen won six races and just over $1.8m during her career, highlighted by her win in the 2011 Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast.

Later in her career she also chased home unbeaten superstar Black Caviar in a couple of feature races, including a second to the great mare in the 2013 Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.

Nostro Re geared up for his racing debut with a comfortable barrier trial effort at Newcastle on May 9 when he wasn’t pushed out to finish a close second to Let It Be in 48.61, one of the fastest of the 800m trials that morning.

“He has drawn out a bit in Monday’s race (barrier 12), but there are already four scratchings in that race, so I don’t think the alley is that much of a concern,” said Deamer.

“He’s trialled pretty well and should take up a forward position.”

Warwick Farm trainer Greg Hickman accepted with the two-year-olds Eleven Eleven and Head On in that Maiden Plate, but the former seems more likely to run in a $30,000 Showcase Maiden at Nowra on Sunday.

Head On, who drew ideally in gate two, is resuming since January when he was unplaced in his first five starts but did take on some serious two-year-old talent on several occasions, including the likes of Dubious, Anaheed and Time To Reign.

The Kris Lees-trained Power Of Wexford should also appreciate a drop back in class when she tackles Monday’s Taree Leagues & Sports Club Class 3 Hcp (1400m).

The well-bred filly - $450,000 yearling by Snitzel from the former good racemare Kneeling (by Encosta de Lago) – has won two of her five starts.

Power of Wexford resumed to win a Class 1 at Muswellbrook on April 22, before Lees sent her around last start in the $300,000 Inglis 3YO Guineas (1400m) at Scone on May 11.

She battled away to finish in eighth place behind the classy Listed and Group performer Wild Planet, beaten just under six lengths.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Taree here