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By Gary Harley

Nathan Doyle’s Newcastle stable is off to a good start in the first three months of the season with 14 winners, and this Saturday starts his busiest and most exciting five days of a six-year career at the Newcastle Jockey Club's race meeting.

Doyle has six of his team racing at Newcastle, Midnight Opal heads to Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, and Overriding will run in the Big Dance at Royal Randwick on Tuesday.

And the stable's emerging Group 1 placegetter Harlem Queen heads to Melbourne at the weekend to run in the Group 1-VRC Oaks next Thursday.

Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle. Image by Bradley Photographers

At Newcastle on Saturday, Doyle’s close friend Ash Morgan will ride five of the stable’s starters - Private Harry (race 1-$1.85 favourite on TAB), Aroha Stone (race 3-$5.50), Ace's In Bloom (race 4-$2.60 fav), Tender Streak (race 7-$8.50) and Dunaloce (race 8-$9).

Private Harry, a 3yo son of Godolphin’s successful Irish born sire Harry Angel, has had a rap on him for some time and he debuts in the 900m First National Super Maiden Plate and is already at short odds.

The colt was an easy winner of barrier trials at Gosford and on Newcastle’s Beaumont Track in January and March.

During October, Private Harry impressively won trials at Muswellbrook and Newcastle and in the last trial at Newcastle, he showed blistering speed and cruised home to win by 4.64 lengths and has a positive barrier (4).

Kiwi-bred filly Aroha Stone contests the 1300m Huxley Hill Maiden Handicap. The 4yo was well beaten on debut when under double figures in the Listed-Woodlands during the Scone Cup Carnival in May.

She had no luck first-up at Hawkesbury on October 24 when trapped three-wide with no cover and eventually finishing fourth so look for a big improvement second-up.

Doyle has two gallopers in the 1300m Elders Insurance Class 1 Handicap, and both have ultra consistent form.

Morgan’s mount Ace's In Bloom has been placed in her past three starts at Newcastle (twice) and Scone. The blinkers go on and from barrier one she should settle midfield on the rail.

Lee Magorrian rides stablemate Irish Bliss ($3.40) in the same race. In his five starts before a spell the gelding had a win and three placings.

He is first-up after bolting in with a recent Newcastle barrier trial.

Doyle’s other two starters Tender Streak ($8.50) in the Maitland Rugby Cup Conditional Benchmark 68 Handicap (1500m) and Dunaloce ($9) in the 1600m Hunt Hospitality Class 1 Handicap both have each-way chances.

Doyle's racing stable manager David Dyson was asked for a comment on their runners: “Private Harry is our best, while Irish Bliss and Aroha Stone will be hard to beat, and Ace's In Bloom can run well with blinkers on.”

Chris Waller's Zoustar filly Sister Daae ($4.40) resumes from a spell in the 1300m Huxley Hill Maiden Handicap and the booking of Aaron Bullock is significant.

The 3yo was only beaten three lengths in her only start at Warwick Farm in June and she has trialled twice recently.

The speedy Dreamdeel ($5), runner-up in the Jungle Juice Cup two weeks back, is the one to beat in the 1500m Maitland Rugby Cup Conditional Benchmark 68 Handicap.

The gelding only went down by half a length in the Jungle Juice Cup and on this track, he has had a win and four seconds. Olivia Chamber's 3kg claim reduces his impost to 55.5kg.

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