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By Gary Harley

Proven mudlark Dr. Evil, enjoying a fine preparation, will find conditions to suit when he travels up the M1 to contest the QUBE Electrical Benchmark 64 Handicap (1890m) at Saturday’s Newcastle race meeting.

The five-year-old is racing in top form, with all four starts this preparation on rain affected tracks.

Two starts back on a Heavy 9 surface over the Goulburn “mile”, Dr. Evil outstayed his opposition coming from last in a field of twelve on the home turn to win by 1-1/4 lengths running away.

Last start on March 31, Dr. Evil stepped up to the 1870m on a Heavy 10 at Newcastle and he stormed home to go down by half a length to tearaway leader Theo Legion.

The son of Casino Prince has won over this trip on this track and Scone apprentice Reece Jones will ride Dr. Evil claiming 1-1/2kg. The horse is trained at Warwick Farm by former schoolteacher and Newcastle rugby union representative John Steinmetz.

Wyong iron horse Mosht Up will have her thirty-first start this preparation when she runs in the Palmieri Conveyancing Benchmark 68 Handicap (1200m).

It will be the mare's third start in eleven days, and she is chasing a hat-trick. Two starts back on March 29, Mosht Up bolted in on a Heavy 10 track at Scone.

On Wednesday the six-year-old led all the way in horrendous conditions at Canterbury.

Interviewed on Sky Racing following the event former top jockey Stephen Schofield said “if she pulls up okay, I will back her up at Newcastle on Saturday. She loves heavy tracks”.

Unfortunately, former West Australian apprentice Madi Derrick, who has ridden the mare in her last five wins, won’t have the mount on Saturday. It was a late decision to run Mosht Up, and Derrick had taken the ride on Impulse Control in the race.

Newcastle apprentice Dylan Gibbons has been engaged to ride the Joe Pride trained Hold On Honey in the NAC Services Maiden Plate (1200m), and he will be hard to beat.

The gelding has been runner up in two of his four starts and he has been placed on a heavy track. First up at Warwick Farm on March 23 on a heavy track, he was a heavily backed favourite when runner-up to Deep Romance.

The Chris Waller trained Fearnought resumes from a spell in the Mark Hughes Foundation Maiden Plate (1200m). Placed in two of four starts the filly trialled nicely recently and has placed on a heavy track.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's meeting at Newcastle