In-form Scone apprentice Reece Jones hopes a wet track will help him challenge for a cups double at Newcastle on Tuesday with Reposition and Valree.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Reposition is down to race in the Cessnock Cup (1900m), while Valree will contest the Jungle Juice Cup (1350m) for Jones, who has 21 wins this season to sit equal best among apprentices in NSW with Tom Sherry.
The meeting was set down for Monday but it was abandoned because of strong winds and poor visibility in consistent rain. The track was a Heavy 8.
The meeting was pushed back to Tuesday to fill the void left when Hawkesbury was later abandoned.
Reposition, for Cessnock trainer Greg Preston, was six lengths away in a class 3 Highway Handicap on Saturday at Randwick. Earlier this preparation, Jones rode him to second in the Tuncurry Cup and a win at Taree.
The six-year-old, a $12 chance, has won on soft and heavy going and Jones hoped he could find his best form.
"It was no match for Tavion Prince [in the Tuncurry Cup] but he beat the rest by a handy distance so I hope he is competitive," he said. "I think he's better over further but we'll see how he goes. He takes wet form into it and it would be good for Greg to win it as a Cessnock trainer."
Valree, for boss Rod Northam, has a win and a place in two outings on heavy tracks. She was a $23 hope in the other feature.
"She's got a bit of wet form, so hopefully she can be competitive," Jones said.
"She was a bit disappointing last start [when last in the Denman Cup]. She came out of the gates a bit awkward, got out the back and didn't make up much ground.
"She's better than what she showed. She's had only the two starts back and stepping her up in distance might help her."
Jones' confidence is high after trebles at Narromine and Muswellbrook in the past fortnight. It continues a promising comeback for Jones, who returned in April after a year off following a knee reconstruction.
"I've been on a really good run," he said.
"I'm just getting some better rides and I'm trying to make the most of my opportunities."