Newcastle, Queanbeyan preview: Brad Widdup has no doubt that Mareeba is ready to fly on debut

First starter Mareeba has done nothing but impress her trainer Brad Widdup who sends her to Newcastle on Thursday hoping for the best possible start.

The Not A Single Doubt filly runs in a Maiden Handicap (900m) and her trial form points to a forward showing.

The sister to stakes winner Single Bullet has won two heats and ran second in another and was impressive looking in taking out a 735m heat against a horse that’s been placed in town already.

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Brad Widdup’s debutant Mareeba is a sister to Pago Pago Stakes winner Single Bullet. Photo: David Moir/AAP ImageSource:AAP

Widdup can’t fault Mareeba who has barrier two for her debut under Robbie Dolan.

“She’s a natural and is a well-bred filly who has done everything right,” Widdup said.

“It will be nice to finally get her to the races and we’ll go from there.

“Her trials have all been very good. I don’t send them out to do that, it was just her trialling that well and the one at Randwick was one of the quickest of the morning.”

She is taking on a very short sprint so she’ll need to do everything right as soon as the barriers jump.

While she’ll get over more ground in time, Widdup doesn’t think the 900m will be too short at this stage.

“She’ll be suited to a bit further but unless there’s something that’s got outstanding speed I’m sure she’ll be competitive,” he said.

“She’s got a good attitude and is a speed horse so I’m sure she’ll run well. I’ve had to be patient with her so hopefully we can get a good result.”

Mix faces a tougher test in a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1300m) after breaking his maiden at Albury last time.

A country maiden to a provincial Benchmark 64 win would suggest he’d have to improve greatly to win again.

But that might not be the case considering he won last time by five and a half lengths and has been placed at the provincials more than once.

Robbie Dolan will partner Mareeba in her race debut at Newcastle on Thursday. Photo: Joel Carrett/AAP ImageSource:AAP

“You never think they’ll just win by that far,” Widdup said.

“We were looking for a dry track. When he got the right run he was always going to win his maiden and the weaker grade probably made it look a lot better.

“You’ve got to look at his form before it too which was pretty good so they might even overlook Albury knowing he was going to win his maiden sooner rather than later.”

Widdup said Mix hadn’t gone backwards since his win and the performance and trip away would have done his confidence the world of good.

“I think he’s a consistent horse on the way up and he’ll get another good run in this race,” Widdup said.

“He hadn’t had a lot of luck and wasn’t getting the right sort of run.”

Bigger Than Thorn is also running on Thursday in a 900m race, a Benchmark 65 Handicap, and he’s won two and ran second on another occasion from three first-up runs so another good result is expected.

“He does fly fresh,” Widdup said.

“There will be plenty of speed on so we’ll just ride him quiet and we’ll have the last crack at them and hopefully he’s good enough to run over the top of them.

“I’ve got three nice runners going to the races but it doesn’t mean you always bring home a winner.”

Scone trainer Mark Schmetzer says Winside is a much better horse than the one who scored with ease on debut in October.

That’s because he’s given the filly time to mature with a spell since winning on debut at Muswellbrook.

She runs at Queanbeyan on Thursday in a Benchmark 58 Handicap (1000m), looking to improve off that two and a half length win.

“She’s come back in good order,” Schmetzer said.

“She was just immature so I didn’t want to gut her. She did her job for the prep then I put her out straight away.

“She’s still revving a little bit but she’s got more ability than Leo, I think.”

Winside had a 16-week spell before returning to trial in February before a seven-week enforced break, but she’s in great shape to run.

“She’s had a couple of jump outs since the trials. She cut her nose in the yard and I couldn’t run her. It was only superficial,” Schmetzer said.

“She drew some wide barriers then had to run on a Heavy 10 but I wasn’t going to start her on that so things haven’t gone her way so far this time in.

Despite an interrupted preparation, trainer Mark Schmetzer is confident Winside is ready to make it two from two when she resumes at Queanbeyan on Thursday.Source:News Limited

“She’s 100 per cent ready to go. She’s a few lengths better physically and mentally to the horse that won on debut.”

So where will she get to?

If she strings another win or two together she’ll be in Sydney in no time.

“She’s probably still six months off but she’s untapped and definitely a Highway-class horse; maybe even better than that,” Schmetzer said.

“She’s probably not a 1400m horse. She might be a Kosciuszko horse next year so I’ll hold her back to the shorter sprints.”

Written Verse is also running but she might not be racing for too much longer unless she comes out and shows that she’s well above average.

She runs for the first time for Schmetzer in the fourth race.

“She goes well too,” he said.

“She’s going to a broodmare sale in a few months so we just want to win a race for her first.

“If she comes out and starts winning by six lengths the owners might have to reassess.”

Originally published asNewcastle, Queanbeyan preview: Widdup’s trio will all be in the Mix

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