The Newcastle hoop is back aboard Semana in the Coolmore Classic (1500m), where she was a $9 TAB hope on Friday from gate 11. He rode her to victory in the $1 million Magic Millions Cup in January on the Gold Coast but Jason Collett was on board last start when she won the group 3 Triscay Stakes at Randwick.

Gibbons was on an outsider in that race but the roles have been reversed for the Coolmore and he was hoping to repay Semana's team.

"It was just a bit of a mix up and a change of plans, so I couldn't ride her at Randwick, but they were obviously good enough to put me back on, just through that bit of loyalty," said Gibbons, who had listed wins on Infancy and Almania last weekend.

"She's flying and hopefully she can get a well-deserved group 1 win. It's a good training performance by the team to get her going the way she is, and it will be very rewarding if she can get a group 1."

As for the wide gate, he said: "It's a big field and she's pretty versatile. I haven't had a chat to the team yet, so whether we use her early to get across or just do what we have been doing. She's won from leading and from back."

Gibbons claimed his first group 1 11 months ago on Maher's Explosive Jack in the Sydney Cup. He rides the stayer second-up in the Sky High Stakes on Saturday with another Sydney Cup as the target. His other strong feature chance on Saturday is Maher's Glory Daze ($5) in the group 2 Ajax Stakes.

"He's down in the weights, trying to book his ticket into the Doncaster," he said. "His win off a freshen was very good and both runs this prep have been, so hopefully he can get a bit of luck from the alley and he'll go close."

His best hope on the day is Kris Lees-trained Tavi Time ($1.75) in the last but he also gives Paul Perry's Totoka ($16) a chance in the group 3 Magic Night Stakes.

The filly was sixth in the group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes last start.

"I just rode it upside down the other day," he said.

"She jumped well and I just had her too close. The spot I wanted wasn't there and I couldn't come back so I had to press on.

"It wasn't the play, but the way she toughed it out, I thought it was a good effort. Hopefully we can ride her a bit quieter, similar to the day she won at Canterbury and she can bounce back."

Tavi Time is having a benchmark handicap run in between his Newcastle qualifier win and the $1 million Provincial Midway Championship Final on April 13.

"He's obviously got his grand final in a couple of weeks, but he's drawn well and only has 57 on his back, so it's hard to not like him," he said.

Explosive Jack is working back from injury after missing the spring and was unplaced first-up.

"He was only getting warm late in the piece the other day," he said.

"He's a 3200m group 1 winner, so 1900 was well short of his best. The further he goes, the better he'll be after a long lay-off. Hopefully we can see a bit more of a forward showing from him."

Trainer Grace Panella was happy to hand the reins to partner Blake Hughes when Major Mickey chases a hat-trick of wins at Newcastle on Friday night.

Major Mickey has gate two for the Ross Gigg Memorial, which is race four.

Panella drove Major Mickey to victory from well back last start but Hughes was aboard the race prior when he led throughout.

"Our parents own him and he's Blake's little boy, he gets along better with him," Panella said.

"I do everything with him at home but when it comes to raceday, he just clicks with Blake, so I was happy to put him on and get the best out of him.

"He's been under the 'we might sell him' hammer for a while but with his connection to Blake, I don't think he'd ever get rid of him."

Major Mickey is up slightly in grade but Panella expected another strong effort.

"Last week he was racing the same horses in the same grade and he shocked us when he came from four back on the fence, but he's come up with a good draw this week and if he can lob a good spot, I'm sure he'll be in the finish," she said.

Panella also has White Star Molly racing in the second.

"Her wide draw hurts her," she said. "She missed a week of racing last week because of the ballot, so we're going to have to take a sit and hopefully we don't get too far back, because she's got a really good turn of foot."

Dungog trainer Joe McFadyen will next look to the Golden Easter Egg series with Nangar Jim after his second cup victory.

Nangar JIm added the $40,00-to-the-winner Temora Cup to his record on Sunday with an all-the-way win. It follows his Maitland Cup victory and runner-up efforts in the Goulburn and Bulli Cups.

The fifth 'big-track' feature is at Grafton next month but McFadyen said the prestigious Golden Easter Egg series at Wentworth Park would take precedence.

"If he bows out in the first or second rounds of the Easter Egg, then we can go to Grafton," McFadyen said.

On Friday night, McFadyen-trained Dam Slithery and Ali Tango are in heats three of bitches and dogs-only series.

Dam Slithery has box four in the bitches series, while Ali Tango has the one in the dogs qualifier.

"She's been racing some really good dogs of late and the race tomorrow night has some handy ones in as well," he said of Dam Slithery.

"She's been getting a bit overexcited so I've been doing some work with her and I'll do some more tomorrow night. If she doesn't encounter any trouble from the bad box, I'll be expecting a better showing.

"There's another good one in that dogs-only race, Another Choice. I don't think mine can beat the favourite but it would be nice to come second and qualify."