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By Neil Evans

A resuming metropolitan mare can halt the exciting progress of an emerging local star when they clash at today's transferred Newcastle meeting.

Prima Bella, a very lightly raced four-year-old in the Matthew Smith stable at Warwick Farm, returns for her first outing and only fourth career start since two runs last spring.

Prima Bella (Ash Morgan) wins on debut at Wyong. Image by Bradley Photographers

That came after she was forced out through injury for nearly a year after making a big impression on debut with an all-the-way win at Wyong late in 2023.

But the hard work and long wait can start to pay dividends when she tackles the Coastal Advice Group Benchmark 64 Handicap over the flying 900m.

And connections will be buoyed by the conditions having watched her win the first of two recent trials in heavy ground by nearly five lengths.

Standing in her way, though, could well be home track three-year-old Hawker Hall who reloads a month after blitzing his maiden opposition by nearly four lengths when resuming as the hottest of favourites, also in heavy ground.

And Hawker Hall, a gelding by Russian Revolution with leading trainer Kris Lees, has since won a trial in soft going by a big margin.

Hawker Hall has drawn wide (10), while Prime Bella is nicely placed from barrier three for what looms as a mouth-watering battle made for the conditions, and could pitchfork either galloper into metropolitan company next start.

Prima Bella is at $4 on TAB where Hawker Hall is the $2.20 favourite with a big gap to resuming four-year-old Kiribati at $7.50.

After the week-long deluge that triggered countless major NSW coastal emergencies, and saw many race meetings abandoned, finally the skies have cleared.

Still rated a Heavy 10, generally fine weather in the 24 hours leading up should see the surface improve.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Newcastle here