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By Gary Harley

Newcastle trained four-year-old Dalaalaat ($6.50 on TAB) is set to win his second race since entering the Nathan Doyle stable earlier this year when he contests the TAB Venue Mode Benchmark 64 Handicap 1400m at Thursday’s Newcastle Jockey Club race meeting.

The high-profile Victorian training partnership of Hayes and Dabernig trained Dalaalaat for his first six race starts.

The gelding won a Wagga maiden in February 2020 and was placed in three country races.

Sydney's racecaller Darren Flindell. Image by Nick Moir

The talented sprinter has had four starts for his new group of owners which include Sydney’s number one racecaller Darren Flindell.

Dalaalaat was an impressive first-up winner at Scone on January 28, followed by a closing fourth at Doomben and a close second at Warwick Farm on March 3.

In his last start at Canterbury on April 7, Dalaalaat made good ground to go down by 2½ lengths.

Doyle has booked talented Newcastle apprentice Dylan Gibbons to ride the horse and he has a soft draw. The gelding is crying out for the 1400m and he will have visors on for the first time.

Godolphin’s trainer James Cummings will send just the one well-fancied runners to the Newcastle meeting. Two-year-old colt Wheel ($3.10 equal favourite), a son of champion sire Exceed And Excel, will make his debut in the 900m Simtrack 2YO Maiden Handicap.

In his only trial at Kembla on April 7, Wheel travelled three-wide before cruising to the lead in the straight. He was never off the bit and went down by a head. He has the rails barrier and Tim Clark has the mount.

The well-performed Godolphin filly Mollycoddle was entered for Newcastle but will be scratched after scoring at Canterbury Park on Wednesday.

Chris Waller will be represented in two races and trains well-fancied runners in both events. In the Sage Painting Maiden Plate 1300m, the champion trainer saddles up Tuscan Gaze ($2.70) and Maramoti ($6.50). The Coolmore-owned Tuscan Gaze has raced well in his past at Newcastle and he was runner up at Warwick Farm last start.

Maramoti’s first-up placing at Newcastle on April 10 was an eye-catcher. Waller has three runners in the OAS Technology Benchmark 64 Handicap 1880m.  The best of the two appear to be My Delight ($5.50 fav), a last-start Canterbury maiden winner.

John O’Shea has three good chances at Newcastle. The Kiwi-bred Cotehele ($2.50 fav) is on debut in the Sage Painting Maiden Plate 1300m, following two nice trials.

Alura ($3.10) resumes from a spell in the 1200m The Prince Of Merewether Maiden Handicap. The filly won a recent Randwick trial and she has drawn well.

Sophomore ($4.60) has two wins and a placing in three starts at Newcastle and her first-up run was good. She contests the Hungerford Hill F&M Benchmark 64 Handicap 1400m. Brenton Avdulla rides two of O’Shea’s runners.

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