Newcastle Newmarket: Alan Scorse hoping to relive glory days in home feature

Scorse, though, hopes his own form in the event will bring him some luck.

What Could Be will be Scorse’s first runner in the race as a trainer but he won it back-to-back as a jockey.

Scorse steered the Roy Hinton-trained Manawapoi and Swiftly Ann to wins in 1976 and 1977 respectively. Hinton, Scorse’s father-in-law, died in June last year at the age of 92.

“It’s been a pretty good race to me, the Newmarket, so we’ll have a crack at it and see what happens,” Scorse said. “There’s not much else on for him and he’s going to carry no weight. The guys are happy to give him a chance. He’s not up to them, but you never know.

“And he’s a fit horse and a lot of them are first-up so we’re just living a dream. He’s had three runs and they’ve all been good runs. 

“It’s just difficult to find suitable races for him because he likes big tracks.

“If he can run a good race, we’ll be very happy.”

What Could Be was one of 11 acceptances for the $150,000 race on Wednesday. The five-year-old gelding is easily the lowest-rated runner in the field and spots the next worst 19 benchmark points.

He opened as a $81 chance with TAB Fixed Odds and is one of seven carrying bottom weight of 54kg. The Mark Newnham-trained Lanciato, an early $3 favourite, also has 54kg. Chris Waller accepted with Mister Sea Wolf ($6) and Life Less Ordinary ($19). Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees’ Sound Propostion, which has Hugh Bowman aboard, was topweight with 58kg and barrier one ($11).

The other lightweight local chances will be the Rod Ollerton-trained Royal Tudor and Lees’ Artlee.

Royal Tudor has been luckless but impressive in two runs back this preparation, when fourth and third, and was a $9 shot. 

The field is: 1. Sound Proposition (barrier 1), 2. Duca Valentinois (10), 3. Shiraz (11), 4. Spectroscope (8), 5. Mister Sea Wolf (3), 6. Lanciato (6), 7. Life Less Ordinary (9), 8. Artlee (7), 9. Royal Tudor (5), 10. Special Missile (2), 11. What Could Be (4).