Racing
Stevo Newmarket wouldn’t be a First
Four Newmarkets in the cabinet for Stevenson.
Trainer Glenn Stevenson knows it'll take an upset if he's to win a fifth Newmarket Handicap in Launceston on Friday night.
Stevenson is embracing the underdog tag, and in First Accused, he has a horse with a history of upsetting his more fancied rivals.
As an $8.50 chance, First Accused won the 2023 Newmarket, adding to the three successive Newmarkets that Stevenson won with I'm Wesley across 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Earlier in the year, First Accused ($15) won the Listed Thomas Lyons Stakes (1400m) on Hobart Cup Day, winning a race that was largely billed as a race in two between The Inevitable and Durazzo.
"I know I'll be pushing it uphill if we're to win the Newmarket this year. The horse is well, but you'd think a few of them might be a bit nippy for him," Stevenson said.
"If he can draw a soft gate and get the right run though, he can still be in the finish."
Now an eight-year-old, Stevenson thinks the 2024 Ladbrokes Horse of the Year will likely need 1400m-1600m to hit his top this preparation.
"At the end of the day, the Newmarket is nearly like a 1400m because if you don't draw a gate, you need to make a decision, and sometimes people pull the trigger, and it's a pressure type of race.
"He'll run a nice race on Friday, and probably do the same in the Conquering, but now I think he's really that mile horse."
First Accused has had a pair of trials leading into his first-up run, finishing second in the most recent piece of work over 800m at Longford on 14 November. Codi Jordan is booked for the ride, hoping to claim her third Newmarket after Deroche (2021) and First Accused.
"I've really liked his trials, particularly the other day, I loved how he hit the line."
Stevenson also has in his care the likely topweight in the Newmarket, Cannonball, who is trained by his good mate Patrick Kearney.
A six-year-old gelding, Cannonball, arrives in Tasmania with a Victorian handicap rating of 99, having most recently raced on 6 November when unplaced over 1000m in a Listed race at Flemington.
The horse was Group 1-placed in the Galaxy back in 2023 and then went to Royal Ascot (UK) for their famous carnival later that year.
"He arrived late last week, and he's settled in well; he's licking his bowl out," said Stevenson.
"Pat has trained him to be spot on for a couple of interstate assignments. He's here for the Newmarket and then I think there is a Magic Millions race for him somewhere that he's looking at after this."
Weights for the Newmarket meeting will be released at approximately 16:00 (AEDT) on Monday, 17 November, with acceptances to follow on Tuesday morning.
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