Newcastle has been a happy hunting ground for Tim Clark and the Waterhouse-Bott stable, and the Central Coast-based jockey is confident Rule The World can deliver the combination another feature win on Saturday.
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Clark returns to Broadmeadow two months after winning the Newcastle Cup with Hush Writer for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
He will guide the group 3 3YO Spring Stakes (1600 metres) favourite, a $2.20 chance with TAB Fixed Odds, as part of a strong book of rides at the standalone meeting on Saturday.
Rule The World is unbeaten in three starts, the first two of which Clark took him to front-running wins at Canterbury and Randwick over 1100m and 1300m on soft and heavy going.
Clark was interstate for the third victory, when the Gooree Stud gelding sat outside the leader before grinding out a half-length win over 1400m on a good Rosehill surface. He progresses to the 1600m at Newcastle on Saturday and Clark was excited to be back on board.
"He's done nothing wrong, that's for sure," Clark said.
"Obviously three from three and he's a really nice horse who is progressing through the grades nicely. This is another step up for him, but he's ready to take it and he should perform well.
"He's come through that first-up run nicely. I ride him in a lot of his work and they are really happy with how he's progressing."
Rule The World has drawn eight of 12 but Clark believed the wide barrier "shouldn't be too much of an issue".
"He showed the other day that he has a bit of versatility, sitting outside one. He doesn't have to lead," he said.
Clark also has hopes in the other features, The Hunter and the Max Lees Classic.
He will ride the Mark Newnham-trained Panna Cotta in the Max Lees Classic (900m) for two-year-olds, where all six runners are unraced. Panna Cotta was a $3.40 favourite after beating Golden Gift runner-up See You Soon in a trial.
"I don't know much about her but she trialled really well," Clark said.
"She's got good speed and over 900, she'll be right up there on the speed, with a nice draw in two, and she'll take some catching."
Clark will ride Godolphin mare Manicure for the first time when she contests the inaugural $1 million The Hunter (1300m). She was a $14 hope from gate 13 in an open affair.
"Racing NSW have put big money into the race and you would expect it to attract a big field and one with good quality, and that's definitely what they've got," Clark said.
"Graff is obviously going to start one of the favourites, but he hasn't won for a while, so I think he's probably going to be a bit of unders.
"Manicure won really well at Caulfield first-up, then just got beat, and even her run the other day down the straight, she went really well. She was just on the wrong side.
"She's got good form in listed and group mares races. She's probably going to need to go to another level on Saturday, but she gets in with a light weight and race fitness on her side."
He said Leviathan in the last was "one I'm definitely looking forward to."
"I won on him in his first start, and he won really impressively, then I was in Queensland when he ran second to Funstar. So that's good form," he said.
"It's a lovely big track Newcastle, and everyone gets their chance with a big straight and long run in, so there's not too many excuses for them normally.
"I've had a bit of luck in all the big races up there so it's been a happy hunting ground."