When the National Coursing Association set about changing programming, the Newcastle Cup and St. Leger series were predicated on the movie Field Of Dreams.
And in the case of the Newcastle Cup – over 715m – they sure have come.
NCA General Manager Adam Dobbin targeted champion stayer Amity Bale as the headline act for the $20,000 to the winner feature and trainer Graeme Bate has obliged with the nomination for the daughter of Sonic Flight.
“Graeme won’t get a chance to trial Amity Bale at the track,” Dobbin said, “but she is still the one to beat.”
“He only arrives from Victoria on Tuesday morning and he will give her a walk around the track, so she will be accustomed to the surroundings.”
Amity Bale has drawn awkwardly in box six but has the advantage of a noted slow beginner (Forty Twenty) on her inside.
Her class is without question but this is a genuine test on a track which is ‘home ground’ to four genuine chances in the elite field.
“Amity Bale’s main threat comes from her Victorian counterpart Drill ‘Em in my opinion,” Dobbin continued.
“I know David Knocker has had the chance to trial Drill ‘Em at the track and that just might be the edge he needs.
“He beat Amity Bale fair and square in the Carnival Cup at Sandown and is an on-pace stayer…that is a real plus at The Gardens.”
Local star Forty Twenty (pictured above - number six) was the unlucky runner in the Summer Cup Final at Wentworth Park on November 14 but he, like Amity Bale, will be having his first start at the track.
In his favour however, is that trainer John Heard is based at North Entrance on the central coast and not at Lara, near Geelong.
Forty Twenty has won at Wentworth Park in a slick 42.32 and boasts 17 wins from just 30 lifetime outings.
Trainer Robert Smith has Lochinvar Vogue in top form and she is a genuine winning chance.
Her past two starts at The Gardens have resulted in strong wins, with her October 16 winning effort over Wednesday’s 715m trip in a smart 42.84 being especially impressive.
The Newcastle Cup is supported by heats of the Woy Woy Poultry St Leger.
St Leger was formerly known as the Young Guns and conducted in January prior to the rich National Derby and Futurity series.
The return to the naming of the St Leger re-establishes the heritage of one of the NCA’s oldest races which became the Paws Of Thunder.
The opening St Leger heat (race three) sees Lochinvar Marlow return from an injury enforced break.
The unbeaten son of Bombastic Shiraz made an impressive debut in the Laurie Healion Maiden series in July but has not raced since winning that final on August 7.
Heat two (race five) looks a real contest.
The speedy Dyna Blade (box one), last week’s brilliant 29.90 winner Tommy Cash (box two), the rampant Elite Blue Size (box five) and the promising Three For Ten (box seven) clash in a race fitting of a final.
The rails alley gives Size It Up an edge in heat three (race six) but he faces a quality line-up which includes Vic Peters Classic Finalist Boston Blackie (box two) and the well-related Bit Stressed – a fast 29.67 winner at the track last month.
In-form Victorian trainer Jamie Ennis arrives with the promising Where Am I for heat four.
He has won four from six including some smart efforts at The Meadows, Shepparton and Geelong.
As well as he is going, there will be no room for error.
Standing in his way are Mark Bell’s speedy Kez And Col (box one), Gnarley Boy (three), Young Star Classic winner Zambola Bale (four) and consistent Wentworth Park sprinter Gazmick Storm (six).
The St Leger is a heat-and-final series with $20,000 going to the winner on December 9.
It was Shoeless Joe Jackson who uttered: “If you build it...they will come” in the 1989 celluloid classic.