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By John Schell

The Rosehill training combination of Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou have strong representation at Newcastle on Sunday with four leading chances engaged to start.

Fresh from success with the promising Good Hotspur at Hawkesbury on Thursday, Ryan & Alexiou head to Newcastle with the smart Explicit ($5.50 favourite on TAB), their first runner of the day in the Tooheys Newy Super Maiden Plate (1300m).

Explicit is a well-bred Snitzel gelding out of the mare Breakfast In Bed and has had three starts for a placing at Kembla Grange.

Explicit (Tyler Schiller) heads to the barriers at Hawkesbury. Image by Bradley Photographers

“He ran seventh on debut in a handy race at Warwick Farm,” said Ryan.

“Followed that up with a fourth in the Clarendon Stakes at Hawkesbury and then ran third at Kembla Grange before we gave him a break.

“He’s had a couple of trials to get ready for the Newcastle race and he should run very well.”

Mitchell Bell will partner Explicit, while Jay Ford links with Ryan & Alexiou when partnering Matias in the Tooheys How Do You Feel Maiden Handicap (1500m).

Matias ($2.30 fav) is also a gelding by Snitzel and out of Never Listen.

"He’s lightly raced with just four starts to his name and has finished second in two starts since resuming from a spell.

“He’s a talented horse,” Ryan said of Matias. “He resumed in a Super Maiden at Rosehill and ran really well when finishing second, and then we took him to Canterbury and he ran second again.

“He’s been beaten by a couple of handy horses in those two races, and he gets his chance to break through at Newcastle.”

Jockey Tom Sherry will combine with Ryan & Alexiou when riding both Golden Loom ($8) and Rhegion ($17) in the Tooheys Extra Dry Class 1 Handicap (1500m) and Tooheys Old 4YO & Up Benchmark 64 Handicap (1400m) respectively.

“Golden Loom has had the three starts back from a spell now and has been placed in the latest two at Newcastle and Kembla Grange,” said Ryan. “He’s racing well and should give a good sight again.”

Rhegion won his maiden at Kembla Grange in May in the same race Explicit finished third in and has a wide alley to overcome at Newcastle.

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