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By Gary Harley

Anthony Cummings’ three-year-old filly Extreme Diva ($1.65 favourite on TAB), placed behind two of the best 2yos earlier this year, kicks off her spring campaign at Newcastle Jockey Club's race meeting on Thursday.

The Extreme Choice filly had five starts in her first campaign, all in Black Type events.

She came from well back when third beaten 1.61 lengths behind Switzerland in The Pierro at Randwick on February 17.

Extreme Diva (Tyler Schiller) heads to the gates at Royal Randwick. Image by Bradley Photographers

On March 2, Extreme Diva was beaten 2.32 lengths by Manaal when third in the Group 2-Sweet Embrace Stakes at Royal Randwick after being second last in a field of 12 with 800metres to travel.

The filly has only had one recent trial and that was at Rosehill on August 5 on a Soft 7 track.

She led in the trial and Tommy Berry put her under no pressure when narrowly beaten.

Both her placings were on Soft 5 tracks and Zac Lloyd has the mount on Thursday in the opening event, the 900m New Zealand Bloodstock Super Maiden Plate.

Extreme Diva will clash with two impressive trial winners which are on debut. They are Matthew Smith’s filly Runranirun ($3.90) and the Hawkes Family's Gangsta Granny ($3.90), but the set weight conditions certainly favour Extreme Diva.

The Peter Snowden-trained 4yo Fire Star ($2.50 fav) will be hard to beat when he resumes in the 900m Davali Thoroughbreds Class 1 Handicap.

During January the Deep Field gelding was runner-up in three starts at Canterbury on the Kensington Track and at Wyong.  In two of three starts he was beaten by Shezanalister and The Black Cloud.

Tommy Berry has ridden Fire Star in two recent easy trial wins at Randwick and Rosehill and he rides him on Thursday. He has a wide barrier but there is a long straight run from the 900m barriers to the home turn.

Last start Canterbury maiden winner Zouripper ($2.80 fav) has to carry 61kg in the 1400m Sharp Office Class 1 Handicap and the Zoustar gelding is up to the task.

He was second-up at Canterbury Park on a Soft 5 track on July 24, was last out of the barriers and conceded the leader and favourite Trunk a long start.

Chad Schofield elected to hug the rail in the home straight and he pushed into the clear 200m from home. Zouripper powered home to beat subsequent Newcastle winner Trunk by 0.43 of a length.

The gelding can handle a wet track, has drawn nicely and will appreciate the long straight. His trainer John Thompson left Newcastle with a double at the Newcastle meeting last Thursday.

Madam Instrife ($2.15 fav), unlucky on debut at Canterbury in her only start on June 19, can atone in the 1200m Red Funnel Food Distributors Maiden Plate.

The mare drew the outside barrier in a field of six at Canterbury after beginning quickly then was taken back to last. She was badly held up at the top of the straight and the winner Summer Loving pinched a break on her.

Madam Instrife stormed home to miss by just over half a length. On August 6 Tommy Berry, who rides her on Thursday, trialled her at Rosehill and she cruised to the line in a very quiet trail. A wet track won’t be a problem for the Hawkes-trained mare.

The Ciaron Maher-trained There There ($7.50), luckless this campaign, sports blinkers in the Rarity Wholesale Benchmark 64 Handicap and can overcome a negative barrier.

Dylan Gibbons rides her for the first time since she won at Gosford in October and hopefully bring the mare better luck. There There had no luck in the straight when fourth at Canterbury last start and she has won on the Newcastle track.

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