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By Gary Harley

Talented four-year-old mare Makarena is set to deliver the Hawkes stable its fourth success in the time-honoured Group 3-Horsepower Newcastle Stakes on Friday.

Previously known as the Newcastle Newmarket, the race was first run in 1955 and it’s the first Provincial Group race in New South Wales this year.

John Hawkes won the race with Deposition in 1993 then won the race again with Crawl ridden by Larry Cassidy in 2001 and in 2014 James McDonald steered Mecir to victory for John and his sons Michael and Wayne.

Makarena (Zac Lloyd) in winning form at Rosehill Gardens. Image by Bradley Photographers

Makarena has outstanding credentials for this race and is the $3.20 favourite with TAB.

In the Group 2-Millie Fox Stakes at Rosehill on February 22 the mare was first-up and a $1.65 favourite before going forward to share the lead 900m out.

She got a little tired late but was tough finishing just under two lengths from the winner Firestorm.

Makarena has won two from three second-up and can handle soft and dry tracks.

Prior to a spell the 4yo was beaten 1.3 lengths after a tough run in NSW's second richest race, the $10m Golden Eagle at Rosehill on November 2.

In September, Makarena beat Amelia’s Jewel in the Group 2-Gold Pendent at Rosehill.

On Friday she has drawn nicely and Tyler Schiller who won The Hunter for the Hawkes team in November will ride the mare again.

Victorian, Amenable ($6) has only won two races but he is smart when at his best. He was runner-up a neck behind Magic Time in the Group 1-All Aged Stakes at Randwick last April.

The 5yo indicated that he is ready to perform with a lovely trial at Rosehill recently.

Sandpaper ($3.80) is up in class, but his recent form is very good and has the minimum weight of 54kg with Tim Clark riding the 6yo.

Nash Rawiller, who rode the 2021 winner Gem Song, makes the trip to ride the Richard & Will Freedman-trained Coastwatch ($9), a last start winner of the Listed-Barton Stakes at Sandown on January 25.

The 2yo 1300m All Park Projects Paul Perry Handicap was contested by talented youngsters in recent years. Broadsiding finished third in the race last year while Just Party, Kintyre, Inhibitions and Wymark won major races in the last two years.

On Friday, John O’Shea & Tom Charlton saddle up Napoleonic, ($3.90) a son of Wooton Bassett which was luckless on debut at Warwick Farm on February 19 when midfield behind King Of Pop.

The colt was slow to leave the barriers and travelled worse than midfield on the rail.

He was looking for room in the straight and appeared to have plenty to offer if sufficiently clear. Zac Lloyd will ride him from barrier one and the spacious Newcastle track is ideal.

Newcastle Jockey Club has decided to name the Fillies & Mares Benchmark 68 Handicap on Newcastle Stakes Day, the New Zealand Bloodstock Samantha Miss Handicap.

Kris Lees trained Samantha Miss to win three Group Ones and she is a member of the Newcastle & Hunter Hall Of Fame.

On Friday it is a wide-open race but Fastnet Rock mare Elba ($8.50) from the Anthony & Sam Freedman stable should run well.

Originally weighted at 62.5kg, the Victorians have booked Newcastle's 2kg-claiming apprentice Ben Osmond for the ride. The mare has been out of form on very firm Victorian tracks but if the track is soft, look for a big improvement.

The sold-out International Women’s Day function featuring four-time Para World Surfing Champion Sam Bloom will be held in the Trackside Marquee on track.

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