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By Gary Harley

In-form Wyong trainer Sara Ryan has bright prospects of saddling up a winning double at the Newcastle race meeting on Tuesday.

The eight-race program was originally scheduled for Gosford but with the Central Coast Club's track renovations not expected to be completed until next month, the meeting was transferred to Newcastle some time back.

Ryan, trainer for the Domeland stable, prepares their ultra consistent four-year-old How Much Better ($3.10 favourite on TAB) for the 1600m Davali Yearlings @ Classic Sale Benchmark 64 Handicap which is a heat of the Rising Star Series for apprentice riders only.

Talented apprentice Braith Nock - has five rides at Newcastle on Tuesday. Image by Janian McMillan (Racing Photography)

Experienced Scone apprentice Braith Nock, on loan to Randwick trainer Peter Snowden, has the mount on How Much Better and his 2kg claim reduces the grey gelding’s impost to 58kg.

The horse is in career best form with a win and three seconds from his four starts this campaign.

He overcame a slow start to race outside the leader at the 1200m before taking the lead at the 800m and winning effortlessly in a Wyong Class 1 on New Year's Eve.

How Much Better has good soft track form and first-up in this campaign in November was runner-up behind Irish Bliss. He is an on-speed galloper and can overcome the wide barrier with the long straight run to the first turn.

Stablemate Wizards resumes from a spell in the 1400m A Plus Contracting & Poly Welding Benchmark 64 Handicap with Reece Jones in the saddle.

The Fastnet Rock gelding has only had two starts when trained by Ciaron Maher and both were at Hawkesbury where he was a last start winner in March.

Ryan now owns Wizard which displayed good speed to win a Newcastle open trial by 2.5 lengths on December 30. Jones rode the 4yo in the trial and he is a $5.50 chance with TAB.

The Waterhouse-Bott stable will send Frankel colt Format ($4.60) to Newcastle to line up in the 1600m TAB Maiden Plate.

The 3yo has had two starts and was a $21 chance when placed behind Chris Waller’s subsequent Canterbury winner Pretty Powerful on the Beaumont Track on Boxing Day.

The colt was only 2.34 lengths from the winner and he will be fitter second-up and draws perfectly with Adam Hyeronimus to ride.

The Annabel Neasham-Rob Archibald stable is well represented at the meeting after winning two of the rich Magic Millions races on the Gold Coast on Friday night with the stable’s New Zealand bred Tenniel ($), son of Victoria Derby winner Tarzino, having a good chance in an open 2300m The Prince Of Merewether Benchmark 64 Handicap.

In June the mare led all the way to win successive 2000m events on rain-affected tracks and was second-up at Canberra recently on a Good 3 track when she led and was run down late.

The mare carries the OTI Racing colours which were worn by Tyler Schiller on the Neasham-Archibald trained West Of Africa, winner of Friday’s $2m Magic Millions Cup. The in-form Alysha Collett has the mount on Tenniel.

Zac Lloyd and Richard and Will Freedman will combine with the promising Merchant Empire ($) which resumes in the 1200m Dailey Family Funerals Midway Class 1 Handicap.

The 4yo led all the way to win his only start at Wyong in January last year and his recent trial form is impressive.

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