Country crackers for Saturday

Breednet - Friday August 25

The major focus on any Saturday is metropolitan racing but there's plenty of us out there that don't mind a dabble at the support meetings across the country so here's our best bets.

Advertisement

On Saturday, we’ve come up with a tip at the Newcastle, Donald and Toowoomba meetings.

BEAUMONT (Newcastle)

NAUGHTY THOUGHTS (Race 8 No. 4) The four-year-old daughter of So You Think made a good return from a spell when run down late over this track and distance by a horse with a 6.5kg weight pull. So far she’s done her best racing on the Beaumont track having recorded her only win and two of her three second placings here over this trip. She’ll strip fitter for this outing and is drawn to get the favours in the run. There’s a couple here that are sure to be well fancied – Karavali and Savapinski – but Naughty Thoughts has some solid form references herself, last prep getting within half a length of Salsonic and The Pinnacle in different races. Don’t underestimate her.

DONALD

PASEO DEL RIO (Race 4 No. 10) We’ve been waiting for this filly to resume since spotting her in a couple of sharp recent jump outs and they have scratched her twice this week looking for the right race. The latest jump out at Caulfield on August 8th she flew along in front out wide on the track and won without being asked for anything. She did fail in both starts as a two-year-old but she was tight in the betting in both runs behind star fillies Catchy and Shoals so she’d obviously shown good ability and she gets a massive class drop here taking on a BM58 against a field of horses that won’t be going to much higher than this grade. The track will improve into the soft range but being by Reward For Effort we’re confident she’ll handle any conditions so with no weight from the good gate, she’ll take some catching.

TOOWOOMBA

IRON GEORGE (Race 5 No. 5) This former NSW-based galloper is on debut for the astute Ben Currie stable on Saturday. Iron George has come up short in four runs this time in but this is a significant drop in grade and he’s hardly been getting thrashed. Last time out he was beaten four lengths at the Warwick Farm midweeks by Centro Superior and that horse again placed at Warwick Farm on Wednesday. He drops 1.5kg in weight off that run after the apprentice’s claim and will race on the speed. He will give some cheek around this tight Toowoomba track.

Advertisment
More Reading...
G1 Champions Mile Next for Ceolwulf
Trainer Joe Pride will likely keep stable star Ceolwulf to a mile as he looks to round off his spring campaign with a first trip away.
First Win for $2.1million Magic Millions Sale-Topper
It was a full-circle moment for Te Akau Racing at Te Aroha on Wednesday when Avantaggia, the filly that topped the 2024 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, broke through for her maiden win in the Donaghys Moxipor (1150m).
Sires With Winners - Wednesday October 22
Here is the full list of 37 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
TBA Mourn Passing of So You Think
Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) and Aushorse join the wider industry in mourning the passing of So You Think, one of the modern greats of the Australian turf and a truly elite sire.
End Of An Era - 2025 G1 Cox Plate
“There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still” - Franklin D Roosevelt.
2025 G1 Cox Plate Field and Barrier Draw
A field of nine has been finalised for the 2025 Cox Plate with favourite Via Sistina drawing gate seven for Chris Waller and James McDonald, while one three-year-old has accepted to run in Nepotism.
Inglis Digital - Darby Swoop on Amazing Eagle for $310,000
Scott Darby believes today’s Inglis Digital sale-topper Amazing Eagle (Capitalist) can continue along the same successful mould as the likes of former online Darby acquisitions Robusto, Caballus and Imperial Force and progress on to become a future racetrack star.
Premier Racing Stables for Sale in New Zealand
A unique opportunity to get a foothold in the heart of thoroughbred country in New Zealand has arisen offering both functionality and prestige within an ideal base to pursue racing success in the leading equine region in the country.
Henry Longfellow Pedigree Gets an Update
Group I winning Dubawi stallion Henry Longfellow (IRE) is covering his first Australian book of mares at Rosemont Stud this spring and overnight in Ireland his two year-old sister-in-blood landed her first Group race win.
NZB Ready to Run Breeze Ups Complete for 2025
The final day of NZB’s 2025 Ready to Run Sale Breeze Ups saw a further 202 two-year-olds gallop down the home straight at Te Rapa Racecourse.