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By Gary Harley

Jean Van Overmeire has ridden five winners at the past two Newcastle race meetings and he heads back up the M1 on Tuesday with five mounts at Newcastle Jockey Club’s eight-race program.

Early betting markets indicate JVO’s most fancied ride is the Newcastle galloper Sharpen The Knives ($2.60 favourite on TAB) in the Horsepower 3yo& Up F&M Maiden Plate (1200m).

The lightly raced daughter of champion sire Snitzel has only had four starts, including three on her home track where the filly is trained by Sam Kavanagh.

Jean Van Overmeire returns following a Goulburn win. Image by Bradley Photographers

Sharpen The Knives was narrowly beaten by the smart Winning Proposal on debut at Newcastle in January.

The three-year-old resumed from a spell on June 13 at Wyong where she was runner-up behind Villa Tino after leading.

Last start and second-up at Newcastle, Sharpen The Knives raced outside the leader before being run down late.

Overmeire rode the filly last start, and she is the one to beat from the rail’s barrier.

Irish import Monty Be Quick ($2.60 fav) is well placed to win his first race for Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle when he contests the Hungerford Hill Wines Provincial Maiden Handicap (1600m).

The four-year-old had five starts in Europe for two placings before being purchased by Australian Bloodstock.

After an easy Gosford trial win on May 27, Monty Be Quick was backed from $2.20 into $1.65 first-up at Hawkesbury on June 18 where he could only finish midfield after racing keen early.

Last start at Scone he was well beaten when he pulled hard early and mid-race. The gelding drops in class on his home track and has significant gear changes.

The Gai Waterhouse-Adrian Bott trained Angel Down ($3 fav) resumes after an impressive first-up preparation late last year when she contests the Sharp Office F&M Benchmark 64 Handicap (1400m).

The three-year-old bolted in with a Scone maiden on debut in November before being run down on the line at Caufield on December 14.

Last start on Boxing Day, Angel Down led all the way to win a Caufield Benchmark 70. The filly has had two recent trials and talented apprentice Amy McLucas has the mount.

The Annabel Neasham-trained Worx ($7.50) will be hard to beat in the Strathayr CG&E Benchmark 64 Handicap (1400m). The three-year-old was run down late when beaten half a length at Kembla last start on June 20.

He was only beaten a length after leading at Canterbury two starts back on May 29 and he won his only start on this track in May. Worx was allocated 62½kg, however, Zac Wadick will claim 2kg.

Hell’s Itch ($2.70 fav), an easy first-up winner on this track on June 22, has bright prospects in the Prince of Merewether Midway Class 1 Handicap (1200m).

The four-year-old sprinted quickly in the straight to win by 1½ lengths on the heavy track. Hell’s Itch should enjoy an off pace run from the inside barrier and will be strong late.

Ciaron Maher’s colt Dumebi ($2 fav) is the one to beat in the New Zealand Bloodstock 3YO & Up CG&E Maiden Plate (1200m). The lightly raced son of Lonhro was beaten less than half a length in his second race start at Canterbury in May last year.

After a 13-month spell the colt finished midfield at Warwick Farm on June 26. Ash Morgan will ride Dumebi from a positive barrier.

The most open race of the day is the first race, the Davali Thoroughbreds Benchmark 64 Handicap (2200m). Jason Coyle’s Chateaux Park ($5.50) has a good chance as he is a winner over this trip, and he ran on well from near last when fifth over 1850m on this track last start.

Customized ($3.40 fav), placed behind Storm Boy in the Group 3-BJ McLachlan at Eagle Farm in December, can atone for a first-up failure at Hawkesbury recently when the colt steps out in the Lees Racing Maiden Plate (1400m).

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