Luke Pepper banks on fresh approach with Opal Ridge for Tiara

But this year Pepper is confident he has a fresher Opal Ridge primed for the final group 1 of the season on Saturday at Eagle Farm.

As a three-year-old, Opal Ridge was a $4.20 favourite for the 1400m fillies and mares feature in 2023. She ran well, weaving a path through the pack late to finish fifth, one and a half lengths from the winner, Palaisipan.

That was the culmination of a campaign that included six starts, beginning in March, and a trip to Melbourne for the Inglis Sprint when she was scratched on raceday because of a bruised shin in transit.

This year Opal Ridge hits the Tiara third-up after a six-month break from racing. Pepper said Opal Ridge had excuses last year in the Tiara but there were none this time.

"She got pocketed down there on the fence and had to wait to get out and get going, but she was good," Pepper said.

"And I think she'd come to the end of her prep, too, after having a pretty hefty three-year-old campaign, so I think we arrive up here much better prepared this year with a fresher horse and hopefully she performs like that.

"I can't fault her. She's as good as I've seen her. She's bigger, stronger and I think she's more seasoned now. And she will obviously benefit from the trip up her last year. When she arrived, she settled straight in and it's been pretty smooth sailing.

"I guess it's been a better planned trip away. She went to Melbourne before a few runs in Sydney last prep before coming up here, so this time we set our sights on this.

"We missed the autumn for a reason, to give us our best hope in this race, and hopefully we get it right."

A $20,000 yearling, Opal Ridge has won $1.27 million for connections. She kicked off this preparation with a commanding win in the listed Ortensia Stakes (1100m) at Scone, then was eighth in the group 2 Moreton Cup (1200m) three weeks ago at Eagle Farm. Pepper was happy with the last-start effort but expected an improvement on Saturday.

"The way the track was racing, and where she ended up - back and wide - it probably wasn't ideal, but her sectionals were good and nothing really made a lot or ground in the race, so I think she did a good job," he said. "She's usually a little bit below par second-up and improves third up, and she just loves that three-week turnaround."

He hoped a nice draw in four would give Opal Ridge, a $13 chance with Tommy Berry aboard, an advantage over favourite Bella Nipotina (gate 16, $2.25) and others drawn wide.

Newcastle trainer Kris Lees has Zoe's Promise in the race and potentially Willinga Beast. Zoe's Promise was a $71 chance, while second emergency Willinga Beast ($41) was relying on a second scratching to make the 17-horse field.

If she falls short, Willinga Beast, a last-start winner of the listed Hinkler Handicap, is set to instead make her farewell appearance in the group 3 Healy Stakes (1200m) - the following race - before heading to the breeding barn.

Newcastle apprentice Dylan Gibbons has the ride on Willinga Beast ($19) in the Healy and on Ciaron Maher-trained Semana ($14) in the Tiara.

Chris Waller's four-year-old Zoustar mare Fakhra, placed in five of seven starts, is set to break through first-up from a spell at Newcastle on Saturday.

The Irish import which began her career in Europe steps out in the maiden plate (1400m) on Saturday in her fifth Australian start.

In February, Fakhra was beaten two lengths in a 1600m Newcastle super maiden by Wymark, which won the group 2 Tulloch Stakes six weeks later.

The mare has not raced since a close second at Hawkesbury in March, but James McDonald rode her in a recent Rosehill trial where she flashed home to go down narrowly. Fakhra races well fresh, has a positive barrier and Jeff Penza aboard.

Former Kiwi-based trainer Richard Collett, who has settled at Warwick Farm, heads to Newcastle with last-start Wyong winner Whetu which has a definite chance in the midway benchmark 64 handicap (1850m).

Originally allocated topweight of 63 kilograms, Whetu will benefit from apprentice Olivia Dalton's 3kg claim. She rode the stayer in his first two runs this preparation.

Four of his wins have been on wet tracks. Third-up over the Wyong 2000m on a heavy track last start on June 6, he bolted in by 3.6 lengths with the trainer's son, Jason, in the saddle.

In his only Newcastle start, in July last year, Whetu came from the tail of the field for an eye-catching close third over 1890m.

Ciaron Maher's I Am Invincible mare There There has not had any luck this preparation and she is well placed in the benchmark 64 handicap (1200m).

She was very unlucky when unplaced at Canterbury last start on May 29. The mare was 12 lengths from the leaders mid race, and when looking for a gap between runners in the straight, ran into a dead end and was badly held up 150m out. There There went to the line hard held, 2.45 lengths from the winner.

Two starts back she went to the line hard held when beaten two lengths on this track. There There has drawn perfectly in barrier two and will carry only 56kg after Anna Roper's claim, and she now has less weight than any other runner.

Paul Perry's Princess Cruizer is knocking on the door and the benchmark 68 handicap (1400m) is a winnable race for the filly, which is a daughter of the trainer's favourite horse, Choisir.

The three-year-old loomed up to win at Newcastle last start on May 25 but was nosed out on the line. She was third last when 500m out and sprinted quickly in the straight to just miss. Two starts back on Scone Cup Day, Princess Cruizer made up many lengths from the turn to go down by less than a length to the smart Godolphin horse How Dare You. Experienced group 1-winner Christian Reith rode the filly last start, and he has the mount on Saturday.

Another Newcastle trainer with a winning chance is Sam Kavanagh who saddles up Sharpen The Knives in the provincial maiden handicap (1200m).

The Snitzel filly has had only three starts, two at Newcastle, and both her runs on the home track this year were very good. First-up at Wyong on June 13 the three-year-old led when runner-up. The in-form Jean Van Overmeire has the mount on Saturday.

It is the Fire And Rescue New South Wales race day on Saturday, raising funds for the John Hunter Children's Hospital burns unit.

GREYHOUNDS: Elrington trainer Chris Kedwell is counting on Out Of Style repeating her flying start at Wentworth Park on Saturday night in a heat of the group 1 Peter Mosman Opal series.

Out Of Style, which has box six in heat one, will be Kedwell's first runner in the annual age-restricted. bitches-only series. She has three wins and a second across five starts at The Gardens and has a best of second in three goes at Wentworth Park.

"She's going good but she's still learning and is pretty green in the field," Kedwell said. "She's learning and improving every week, but it's a pretty hot field down there. Box six is not ideal, but if she can come out and run the early splits she's been running here, she'll give them a bit of cheek."

He said Cindy Keeping (box three) and Hurricane Reign (five) would be toughest to beat. The top two and two fastest thirds from the three heats make the final.

There are five heats of the dogs-only series, the Vic Peters Classic.

Kedwell, meanwhile, had a breakthrough win with Debbie Knows at The Gardens on Friday. She claimed her maiden victory at her 35th start.

It was an even bigger day for Toronto trainer Jan Sutherland, who had her first winner when I'm Special raced to the early lead and was never threatened in the other maiden. It was Sutherland's fourth starter.