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By Gary Harley

Wyong-based apprentice Anna Roper has seven mounts including two for the Waterhouse-Bott stable on Saturday’s eight-race program at Newcastle.

Roper has ridden 39.5 winners this season including 10.5 winners on Metropolitan tracks, but she still claims 1.5kg on Provincial tracks.

The first of the Waterhouse-Bott runners is the three-year-old Sisu Spirit ($2.70 favourite on TAB) in the 1500m Insight Building Services Maiden Handicap.

Apprentice Anna Roper - has some nice rides at Newcastle on Saturday. Image by Bradley Photographers

On debut at Newcastle in an October Super Maiden, he stormed home over 1200m to be beaten a head by French Ruler in a strong race.

After a failure at Warwick Farm, Sisu Spirit went for a spell and he was impressive winning a recent Hawkesbury trial.

Roper’s other mount for the powerhouse stable is the Kiwi 3yo Criteria ($14) on debut in Australia.

The son of Contributor has had four starts in New Zealand for a win and two placings.

He has had two trials in Sydney and resumes in the 1600m Osborn Law Benchmark 68 Handicap with a number of gear changes.

Criteria has been gelded since his last start in New Zealand and blinkers go on for the first time.

Paul Perry has booked Roper to ride 3yo Passalacqua ($7.50) in the second event of the day, the 1200m Dalton Partners Maiden Plate.

The gelding’s first run at Gosford on March 27 was full of merit, he came from last and raced greenly in the straight before a strong finish took him within 2.5 lengths of the winner at the post. The longer trip on Saturday is in his favour.

Roper also rides the I Am Invincible filly of Ciaron Maher’s Trounce ($4.80), one of the chances on the 1200m QMF Construction Maiden Plate.

The Kris Lees-trained Japanese bred filly Éclair Encore will benefit from stable apprentice Ben Osmond’s 2kg claim in the 1500m Century 21 Aaron Walter Class 1 Handicap.

Originally handicapped to carry 59kg, the filly will carry 57kg which is 1.5kg less than she carried when a gutsy third, first-up on this track on March 20.

Éclair Encore was only 1.8 lengths from the winner in the Group 3-Newcastle Spring Stakes in November. She has a nice barrier and the longer trip is ideal.

Hawkesbury-trained mare Webejamin ($10), a last start Newcastle winner, is well placed in the 1850m Aplas Group Benchmark 64 Handicap. She has had three starts on this track for a win and two seconds and she raced on the speed and outstayed the opposition over this trip on March 20.

Former Central West trainer Mark Milton who trains at Scone these days will travel to Newcastle with Remember Jack ($13) to run in the 1200m Team EST Benchmark 68 Handicap.

The gelding had solid metropolitan Highway form in December and January. After a nine-week break Remember Jack turned in an eye-catching performance to come from last to finish fourth in the Muswellbrook Skellatar Sprint on March 28.

He has the rails barrier and former Newcastle apprentice Louise Day has the mount on Saturday.

Hampden ($1.90 fav), racing in the opening event the Lambourne Partners Insurance Class 1 & Maiden Plate (2200m), is knocking on the door with close seconds at Newcastle and Hawkesbury recently.

He is the shortest priced favourite on Saturday and should vindicate the short quote and was unlucky when beaten a nose at Newcastle on April 1 after being held up in the straight.

It is the Lambourne Partners Insurance Raceday with the track on Friday rated a Good 4.

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