Australia: Prime Impact goes for three in a row in Newcastle handicap

Prime Impact will be a strong and deserving favorite to win his third consecutive race in a one-mile handicap at Newcastle Racecourse in Australia on Wednesday evening.

If Prime Impact runs to expectations, the 4-year-old gelding will be flying toward the front through the final furlong, the manner in which he won a maiden race at Taree on July 6 and a first-condition handicap at Gosford Racecourse on July 22.

Prime Impact has won 2 of 6 starts in his career. His success coincides with a move to the high-profile stable of Kris Lees. Prime Impact was second in his debut for Lees in June before the two wins in July.

Aside from Prime Impact, finding a potential runner-up to complete the exacta at Newcastle is more difficult.

Cases can be made for Apache Belle, Commander Bell, Miss Shalaa, Too Good To Be Tru, and Two Up. They have all run well enough in recent starts to expect strong performances at Newcastle.

One of them will be the second choice, though none had emerged behind 8-5 Prime Impact in early betting on Tuesday, and they all have far more experience than the relatively unexposed Prime Impact.

The Newcastle race will be the 11th start for Miss Shalaa and the 75th for Commander Bell.

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Commander Bell, 8, was third by slightly less than 1 1/2 lengths in a one-mile handicap at Wyong Racecourse last Thursday, his seventh consecutive loss.

Too Good To Be Tru will draw support after his win in the minor Maclean Cup at seven furlongs at Grafton Racecourse on July 16, his fourth win in 29 starts. Similar to Prime Impact, Too Good To Be Tru is a closer.

This race represents a sharp drop in class for the 8-year-old mare Apache Belle, who is winless in three starts against tougher rivals at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney this year. Apache Belle is winless in 14 starts since August 2021, but raced only once in 2022, at the beginning of that year.

Newcastle has an eight-race program beginning at 10:40 p.m. Eastern, or 7:40 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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