Plenty of value in the Hunter

Trainer Adam Ruggari.

There is no doubt that the Newcastle Harness Racing Club has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to horse numbers in the Hunter Valley.

Rarely is there a week where the Club does not have to exercise balloting a number of horses despite conducting nine race programs and quite often racing on both Monday afternoon and Friday night.

Tonight is no exception with the program being extended to 10 races that have attracted capacity fields.

The International Paceway has long been regarded as the best 1000 metre track in the state and apart from the locals, trainers from the Sydney area frequent Newcastle on a weekly basis.

On paper it appears that punters will get plenty of value across the 10 race program as there are no odds-on favourites evident in pre-post markets.

One pacer that has benefitted from transferring to the region is five-year-old gelding Beneath The Shadow who recently joined the Adam Ruggari stable after racing at Menangle for Peter Russo.

He won first up at Newcastle for his new trainer on July 11 after he led and recorded a smart 1.56.3 mile rating.

Despite drawing wide in gate eight in race six tonight, Beneath The Shadow represents excellent value at $2.50 as he has the services of talented young reinsman Jack Callaghan and should be hard to hold out again.

Silent Legend is one of a number of handy pacers owned by prominent Leeton businessman Michael Boots and the three-year-old has drawn ideally in gate two in the Slick Chicks Pace (race 7).
The colt has only had two starts and won on debut back in April before being freshened by trainer Cameron Davies.

Last Friday night he suffered a surprise defeat by Nifty Studleigh but will benefit from the outing and is expected to go close to winning.

Tamworth trainer, Richard Williams produced Bella Bronski for an impressive win at Albion Park last week at her first start in three months.

The mare had trialled well leading into the race and was well fancied, starting at odds of $3.00 on the Queensland TAB.

But she will need to be at her best again to overcome a barrier 10, second line draw in the ninth race this evening.

Punters seeking value tonight should look towards Tony Sloy in the final event as he is close to a win.