Australia: Harpo Marx will have much to say in outcome of Newcastle Gold Cup

The 6-year-old Irish-bred gelding Harpo Marx may hold a slight edge over his main rival Berdibek in Friday’s Group 3 Newcastle Gold Cup at Newcastle Racecourse in Australia.

Harpo Marx and Berdibek have won their last two starts, tend to run from off the pace, and are the two leading choices in early betting.

But Harpo Marx’s wins have been in a lucrative handicap at 1 1/2 miles at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Aug. 7, and the Group 3 Premier Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Kembla Grange Racecourse on Aug. 28. A winner of 7 of 24 starts, Harpo Marx may be slightly better suited to the Newcastle Gold Cup distance of 1 7/16 miles.

Berdibek, an 8-year-old French-bred gelding, recently won the Rowley Mile Handicap at Hawkesbury on Aug. 19, and the Wyong Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Wyong Racecourse on Sept. 3.

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Harpo Marx, trained by Bjorn Baker, will carry 123 pounds, six fewer pounds than Berdibek. Dashing Willoughby and Quick Thinker share the role of top weight at 130 pounds, but are rated as longshots.

The $183,200 Newcastle Gold Cup drew a field of 15 and is one of three Group 3 races on an eight-race Newcastle program that begins at 11 p.m. Eastern, or 8 p.m. Pacific, on Thursday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

The Group 3 races are the final three races on the program.

The first stakes on the card is the $117,248 Tibbie Stakes at seven furlongs for fillies and mares. The field of 15 is led by More Prophets and Great News, who were first and third in the Mona Lisa Stakes at 6 3/4 furlongs at Wyong Racecourse on Sept. 3.

Great News, who was third in the Group 3 Toy Show Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs at Randwick on Aug. 21, is expected to go favored for trainer Kim Waugh.

The $117,248 Cameron Handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs lacks a heavy favorite in a field of 15.

Duais, unraced since a win in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks at 1 3/8 miles at Eagle Farm in June, and Frosty Rocks, who finished seventh by 3 2/3 lengths after a troubled trip in a handicap at seven furlongs at Caulfield Racecourse on Aug. 28, are the leading runners.

The Cameron is a significant class drop for the 6-year-old gelding Rock, who was fourth in the Grade 2 Tramway Stakes at seven furlongs at Randwick on Sept. 4 behind Zaaki, one of Australia’s top leading older horses.