Lots to like about Wooloowin as she steps up in class for Newcastle Stakes

She has never started in a group stakes or at seven furlongs, but the filly Wooloowin does have a few things in her favor for Thursday’s Group 3 Newcastle Stakes at Newcastle Racecourse in Australia.

Wooloowin has had a fine start to her career, winning 4 of 7 starts for trainer Nathan Doyle, who is based at Newcastle. In her last start, a lucrative allowance race for Southern Hemisphere 3- and 4-year-old fillies at six furlongs at Sunshine Coast on Jan. 5, Wooloowin closed from seventh of nine to win by slightly more than 2 1/2 lengths.

In the $157,500 Newcastle Stakes, which will be run under handicap conditions, Wooloowin will carry the minimum weight of 119 pounds, far below topweight Amenable at 127.8 pounds.

Amenable was 5-1 in early betting on Wednesday morning, while Wooloowin was 7-1. Amenable was 11th of 17 in the Group 1 Alan Brown Stakes at seven furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on Oct. 12 in his last start, beaten slightly more than five lengths. A winner of 2 of 18 starts, Amenable was second in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes at seven furlongs at Royal Randwick Racecourse last April.

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The 4-year-old filly Makarena, the winner of the Group 2 Gold Pendant Stakes at seven furlongs at Rosehill Gardens in September, was the 5-2 favorite on Wednesday, a slight choice over 3-1 Sandpaper.

Makarena was fourth in the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on Feb. 22. She raced wide through the stretch and was beaten 1 1/2 lengths as the 3-5 favorite.

Sandpaper, who often runs near the front or as a stalker, was second by 1 1/4 lengths in a handicap at a mile at Randwick on Feb. 15, his third consecutive second- or third-place finish since a win in a six-furlong handicap at Wyong Racecourse on Jan. 11.

The Newcastle Stakes will go as race seven on an eight-race program that begins at 9:15 p.m. Eastern. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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