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Newcastle Racing Tips for March 7 - Makarena looks ready to strike second-up

Steve Bennett

Editor

Last updated: 06 Mar 2025

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Steve Bennett 06 Mar 2025

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Newcastle races feature an 8-race program on March 7.
Presley to win Race 3, third-up, Chad Schofield to ride.
Makarena the best of the day in Race 7, strong black-type record, two-time winner second-up.
McKeon a solid each-way chance in Race 8, track & distance winner, drawn the fence.

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Newcastle Horse Racing (Getty Images)

Newcastle racing takes place on Friday, March 7 with an 8-race program set down for Newcastle racetrack.

Race 3: No.4 Presley
Race 7: No.2 Makarena
Race 8: No.9 McKeon

We have the best bets picked from across the meeting with a Best Bet and other value selections for Newcastle racetrack.

Race 3: No.4 Presley

The Neasham & Archibald-trained Presley is two starts into this campaign and should now be ready to produce his best in this event.

Last start, the Lope De Vega gelding wasn’t far away when finishing fourth in a BM64 over 1900m at Canterbury.

With Josh Parr aboard, he was box-seating on settling and in the run home, showed he was just one run short of his best, finishing less than two lengths off the winner that day.

Drawn gate nine today, he maps to settle near mid-field with cover and has Chad Schofield as the new pilot.

Now fitter for two runs back, the 2300m shouldn’t pose a problem for him here and up against similar company, we should see even further improvement from the four-year-old in this contest.

Race 7: No.2 Makarena

Team Hawkes saddle-up Makarena here who is second-up today and boasting great success in black-type races, looks the one to beat in the big one today.

Last start, the Snitzel mare was fresh off a 16-week spell when she finished just behind the placegetters in the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill.

Lacking race fitness, she held second spot on straightening but just couldn’t go with them over the final 100m and had to settle for the fourth-place prize money that day.

Tyler Schiller was aboard and sticks with the four-year-old for this Group 3 assignment.

Its her first look at the Newcastle track today but she brings with her a wealth of black-type race experience, boasting a Group 2 win and two minor placings from three runs at that level and finished second in the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) at Randwick 12 months ago.

Already a two-time winner when second-up, there’s plenty to like about her chances here and she looks the pick of the crop in this contest.

Race 8: No.9 McKeon

The Joe Burges-trained McKeon has improved after two starts this time in and looks ideally placed here to ring up career-win number four in this event.

Last start, the Hellbent mare was second-up when she beat all but one home in the Class 5 Country Championships Qualifier over 1200m at Port Macquarie.

Jumping from the carpark in gate 13 (of 14), with apprentice Siena Grima aboard, she couldn’t go the early speed and dropped back to settle worse than midfield.

Tracking wide on the turn, she had something left and hit the line strongly, arriving in time to grab the silver medal, thus qualifying for the Championships Final on 5 April (where all-in markets have her as a $51 chance).

This will most likely be her last hit-out before then as she welcomes back Kerrin McEvoy for his second ride on the mare.

She gets the gun-run today from gate one and ticks every box that suggests she will be a force in the end result of this contest and currently at great odds, is well worth an each-way ticket.

Verdict

Newcastle - March 7

Our best bets for Newcastle:

Presley

Race 3 Winner

@16/5 - 2 Units

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Makarena

Race 7 Winner (Best Bet)

@28/11 - 5 Units

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McKeon

Race 8 Each Way

@9/1 - 2 Units

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