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Former Adelaide-trained mare Born To Play was a good thing beaten at the last Newcastle meeting on August 21 and is set to atone in the final event at Newcastle on Saturday.
She has drawn barrier 1 in the Swain Family Unicorn By Wanderers Rugby Benchmark 58 Handicap 1400m.
Born To Play, formally trained by Tony and Calvin McEvoy, was transferred to Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle in May. She has had four starts for Doyle and has been runner-up in three of these starts, all at Newcastle.
Last start on August 21, Born To Play raced at the tail of the 11-horse field until the top of the straight where she was badly held up. In desperation, jockey Lee Magorrian switched back to the rail and Born To Play sprouted wings in the closing stages to just miss by a short neck.
The five-year-old may not be as far back from barrier one on Saturday. Two starts back she again unwound in the straight to fail by a head.
Another which raced without luck at the August 21 meeting at Newcastle was the Les Bridge-trained four-year-old The Denzel, who is in the EP Physio Maiden Plate, 1400m.
The Denzel was heavily backed in that first-up run, however, he drew wide and sat three deep without cover. After a tough run, the gelding kept coming to finish second beaten a head. The Denzel has again drawn wide and needs luck.
Kris Lees has three runners on his home track and all three are expected to be well fancied. False Step resumes in the Prosperity Advisors Group Class 1 Handicap, 1300m.
The mare named after a former champion New Zealand pacer won on debut at Scone in October last year. In two subsequent starts, she then placed at Taree and Scone. She has had two recent trials leading up to this first-up run.
Sammy, a son of Lees's three-time Group 1 winner Samantha Miss, runs in the Parkview Hotel Orange Class 1 Handicap, 1300m. Sammy has only had one win and six placings from 10 starts but he is knocking on the door with placings at Gosford and Scone recently.
European import Elected is Lees's representation in the 1400m EP Physio Maiden Plate 1400m. The gelding had four starts in England for four placings before being purchased by the Australian Bloodstock Syndicate.
He had his first Australian start at Port Macquarie on August 13 and was only beaten by a length. Lees's promising apprentice Dylan Gibbons will ride the trio and will claim 3 kilos on all three.