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By Gary Harley

New Zealand-bred filly Certain Future, sporting the colours of world powerhouse Yu Long Investments, has bright prospects in the Des Edser Memorial Super Maiden Plate (1350m), the opening event of the Newcastle Jockey Club's Iconic Boxing Day race meeting on the Beaumont Track this Thursday.

Trained by Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald, Certain Future ($2.90 on TAB) is well weighted under the set conditions with only 52.5kg on her back after the claim for the stable's talented apprentice Mollie Fitzgerald.

Certain Future (Jason Collett; bottle green & white colours) finishes 4th at her debut to Alinea on the Kensington Track. Image by Bradley Photographers

The filly carried 58.5kg on debut when beaten less than two lengths when favourite on the Kensington Track on December 6.

Prior to that run she beat the smart Madam Instrife in a Randwick trial.

On debut, Certain Future settled back in seventh place with a nice trail and after coming off heels around the 250m mark the three-year-old finished strongly.

This race is a drop in class and the rails barrier is gold.

Mark Minervini’s mare Rubi’s Serve ($2.80 favourite) is in career best form and is well placed in the 1350m For The Love Of Freda Benchmark 64 Handicap.

She has had four starts this preparation, three on the Newcastle course proper.

First-up on November 2 the mare found the 900m too short when placed behind boom 3yo Private Harry. Up to 1300m two starts back Rubi's Serve came from well back in the field to win a Newcastle Maiden.

Last start on December 7 she was beaten a head at Newcastle by the unbeaten and promising Churchill’s Choice which won at Randwick last Saturday. Lee Magorrian rode the mare last start and he retains the mount.

The consistent Central Coast mare Spicy Hotspot ($3.20 fav) races well when fresh and the Russian Revolution 4yo has a good chance first-up in the 1150m The Prince Of Merewether After Party 64 Handicap.

Both her two wins have been first-up and second-up and she has easily won two recent trials at Newcastle and Wyong. In the last trial at Newcastle, she sat outside stablemate Much Much Better and careered away in the last 200m to win by 2.18 lengths untouched.

The mare has drawn perfectly in barrier two and is another good mount for Lee Magorrian.

Kris Lees’ filly Alliri ($3.10 equal fav), placed in her only three starts, can break through in the 1200m Recycle Today Greener Tomorrow 3YO Maiden Plate.

After narrow defeats at Scone and Taree the 3yo went to the Kensington Track on December 6 and was beaten 1.5 lengths into third place. She raced on the speed in second place and this field is not as strong.

James Cummings has two 3yo fillies lining up in the 1200m Lucky’s Scrap Metals Maiden Plate.

Jean Van Overmeire rides Magenta ($13) which found the line okay although only 9th beaten two lengths at Hawkesbury on debut on December 8. The longer trip is ideal and she has drawn perfectly.

Luminol ($9), daughter of 2007 Golden Slipper winner Forensics, is on debut after a very soft trial on the Kensington Track on December 9.

The Boxing Day meeting attracts one of the biggest crowds to Newcastle each year and with fine weather predicted the club’s second biggest crowd of the year is expected.

The club will then have a short break before hosting a Gosford transferred meeting on Friday 10th January.

View final fields with full form & race replays for Beaumont Track here