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By Gary Harley

The Newcastle Herald Hunter Raceday on Saturday has attracted a very talented line up with a capacity field of 16 plus two emergencies accepting for the $1 million feature event.

Joe Pride has accepted with four sprinters including one of the early favourites, Coal Crusher ($4.40 on TAB) victorious in the 2023 The Hunter.

The Warwick Farm mentor will head to Newcastle Jockeys Club’s flagship event with Coal Crusher, Estadio Mestalla ($15), Golden Mile ($23) and Accredited ($7).

A happy Adam Hyeronimus on Estadio Mestalla after scoring at Royal Randwick. Image by Bradley Photographers

I caught up with Joe Pride following acceptances: “Coal Crusher is obviously my best chance as he has a passion for the Newcastle track, and he has drawn a perfect barrier.

"He has had five starts on the track for two wins and three placings and he had no luck when fourth behind Jimmysstar and Lady Shenandoah last start at Randwick.

"Coal Crusher can lead as he did when he won The Hunter in 2023 but if others are keen to lead, he can take a sit.

"The horse has won more than $2.2 million and he is special to the family as our son Brave has a share of him.

"Estadio Mestalla and Accredited are in good form having quinellaed the Choisir at Randwick on November 4.

"Golden Mile has been out of form, but if he produces his best he can run well,” Pride said.

Chad Schofield will ride Coal Crusher, and his father Glyn rode the horse when he won a Newcastle Benchmark on The Hunter Raceday in November 2022.

The John O’Shea-Tom Charlton stable has accepted with the highly promising and well-backed Yorkshire ($8 into $3.60 favouritism) which resumes from a spell with Zac Lloyd in the saddle.

The winner of six from eight starts has had two recent trials and O’Shea said on Thursday the barrier is disappointing.

"He has a terrible barrier, and he will need some luck. However, he is a very smart horse and we have set him for the [$2 million] The Ingham at Randwick on December 13.

"Yorkshire is a similar horse to Lost And Running which won the 2021 The Hunter for our stable,” O’Shea said.

The regally bred Clear Thinking ($9) has come a long way since refusing to load when a long odds-on favourite and a late scratching at Newcastle 18 months ago. With 53 kilos on her back the mare has strong claims.

Bred by the late Queen Elizabeth from Gai Waterhouse’s Group 1 winner Sweet Idea, Clear Thinking was purchased as an unraced mare as a future broodmare by Arrowfield’s John Messara.

However, the decision to race her has been a wise one as the six-year-old has won five from seven including The Kosciuszko and she has been placed twice at Group level.  Tyler Schiller has won two of the six The Hunter winners to date and he has the mount on Clear Thinking.

Peter Snowden has saddled up the winner of the New Zealand Bloodstock 3YO Spring Stakes twice in the past 12 years and his well performed colt Grand Prairie ($3.10 fav) raced by Yulong Investment is the early favourite for the 2025 edition on Saturday.

The son of Written Tycoon won the Group 3-Up And Coming Stakes at Rosehill in August and was a close second in the Rosebud at Rosehill.

The Arrowfield filly Verity ($13) is lightly raced and rises sharply in class, but she is talented and will run a strong mile. Co-trainers of Verity, Paul Messara & Leah Gavranich trained Genzano to win this race in 2023.

The opening event on Saturday is the Minco Tech Max Lees Classic (900m) and all the 2YOs are on debut.

There are a dozen youngsters in the race and the majority of Sydney’s leading trainers are represented by graduates from this time-honoured event inaugurated in 2017 including Group 1 winner Jonker and Cylinder.

There'll be great racing on a super track at Newcastle on Saturday and the icing on the cake is the appearance of entertainer Jon Stevens after the last race.

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