The Hunter Tips, Betting, Odds, Horses & More 2024

The Hunter is one of the new races introduced by Racing NSW and it helps shine a light on horses and connections that might not usually get the spotlight. The race was first run in 2019 and it is a massive boost to provincial racing at Newcastle Racecourse. 

While Newcastle Racecourse may not be known as one of the most popular or top tracks in the country, it does have its own certain charm and appeal. The Hunter isn’t a Group 1 race, but there is Group 1 race type of money on offer, which always attracts attention.

The Hunter is one of the final major races on the calendar in Sydney, which is headlined by the likes of The Everest at Randwick Racecourse and The Golden Eagle at Rosehill Racecourse. It’s an action-backed carnival, that’s for sure and when things quieten down at Randwick and Rosehill, we all turn our attention to The Hunter at Newcastle. 

Along with The Hunter, Racing NSW introduced The Gong, which is another race that shines a light on provincial racing in NSW. The Gong is raced each year at Kembla Grange Racecourse and takes place a week after The Hunter. The Gong follows similar race conditions as The Hunter. 

One of the main ideas around The Hunter is to encourage elite sprinters to stay in NSW and continue racing past The Everest Day. This idea has certainly worked as we see some pretty awesome runners take part in The Hunter each year. 

The team here at OnlyRacing.com.au has covered every aspect of The Hunter. We provide horse racing tips, betting and odds information. Along with this, we also cover general information on the field, form guide, results and much more. Make sure OnlyRacing is your one-stop shop for everything you need to know about The Hunter!

Newcastle Racecourse hasn’t seen prize money like what’s on offer for The Hunter before. There’s $1 million on the line for this race and the breakdown is as follows:

Who doesn’t love something for nothing? This is what we give you with our free horse racing tips. We do all the heavy lifting, looking at all the necessary data and information. Then, just like magic, our horse racing tips are hot off the presses. We’ve got Newcastle tips for every key race meeting at the track to keep you going right through the year.

Our The Hunter tips for the race in 2024, however, aren’t available just yet. Each year, we wait until the final field is confirmed, so we have all the key information required to provide the best tips going around. When it’s race week, our experts will be busy getting their best bet, next best and best roughie ready for you.

Seeing that you’re already here, why don’t you check out The Hunter tips our experts put together for the race in 2023? You can use the fact that we now know the results of this event to judge how our experts performed below.

The Hunter Best Bet - Mazu

Well, this is a bit of an open field, isn’t it? After a bit of back and forth, I’ve landed on Mazu as my best bet for The Hunter in 2023. There are a few quality sprinters in this year’s edition of The Hunter, but I think Mazu has the number on them. At the time of writing, Mazu is the narrow favourite, with odds of $3.50.

The Group 1 winner took a bit to get going, but I like where he is at now. After finishing down the order in The Everest, he improved sharply in the Giga Kick Stakes. Another improvement like that in a race that doesn’t have the same quality as those previously mentioned and he should be winning this.

The Hunter Next Best - Opal Ridge

Bypassing both Coal Crusher and King Of Sparta, who are the next two in the market, I’ve nailed down Opal Ridge as my next best for The Hunter. I think Opal Ridge presents more value than the other two, with current odds of $8.00, so an each-way play is still worthwhile. 

She hasn’t always been the best mare to follow, but one thing I know for sure, her best is good enough to win this. Will she produce her best? Only time will tell. But I am willing to take a small chance on her in this one. Ran well in The Kosciuszko for second and another solid effort in The Invitation. Let’s see what Opal Ridge can do.

The Hunter Best Roughie - Rustic Steel

Plenty of value to be had in this one and I think Rustic Steel fits the bill perfectly here. He is a few weeks between runs, but last time out in the Sydney Stakes, he put in an eye-catching performance and I’ve been waiting to see where he ends up next. Rustic Steel is currently paying $17 to win and I think he is an excellent each-way shot.

In the Sydney Stakes, he was finishing with some speed and was behind I Am Me. I Am Me has gone pretty well (to say the least) as of late, so that’s a great form reference. Been at the trials since then and he is trained at Newcastle. Home track, a fast finisher and Sam Clipperton on board, I like his chances of a top-three finish here.

Our experts are standing by, waiting for race week to come around, so they can get cracking on their 2024 tips for The Hunter. Check back again during race week for their updated thoughts.

The team here at OnlyRacing have been betting on horse racing for many years now and over this time, we’ve developed a few strategies, so we can make the most of our experience. Today, we are passing that knowledge on to you! We believe it is a good idea to bet on a wide range of markets for The Hunter.

Variety is key and you never know when you’ll find your next favourite bet type. The good news is that there are plenty of different markets available and some of the most common, that you’ll see available at all the betting sites across the country include:

• Fixed Win/ Place 
• Quinella
• Exacta
• Trifecta
• First Four 
• Quaddie
• Multi Bet

While it is a good idea to change things up every now and again in terms of your bet type, you should never bet on a market you don’t fully understand. The good news is that there are lots of resources online, like here at OnlyRacing, that provide information on what each different bet type involves.

On top of the markets for The Hunter, something else we recommend you consider is betting with a variety of different bookmakers, including new betting sites as well. Having accounts with multiple bookies means it is easier to check if they have any specials for The Hunter that you can take advantage of.

Each bookie will likely have slightly different betting promotions, so by having an account with each bookie, you can easily get on board with their promotion. It’s not just the promotions you should care about, different bookies will likely have different odds for the same market/ runner, meaning you can pick up some easy value.

If you’re thinking about getting on board with a new bookie, the best place to check is our bookie reviews page. This page features in-depth reviews on some of the best bookies in Australia, including information on the top betting apps going around as well. Some of the bookies in particular that we think you may like include; PlayUp, Colossalbet and Vicbet.

The Hunter field for 2024 is yet to be confirmed. While the runners are yet to be confirmed, we have seen quality field after quality field so far in The Hunter and we expect 2024 to be no different. The Hunter field will be confirmed during race week and we will bring you all the information then.

One good way to get an idea of the type of runners that may be targeting The Hunter would be to look into the odds for the race if they are available. The odds usually come out well before race week and can provide some valuable insights. The runners with the shorter odds may well be targeting The Hunter and therefore more likely to be featured in the final field.

We can’t tell you which runners will be taking part in The Hunter for 2024, but seeing though you’re already here, let’s take a look at the field that lined up for the race in 2023:

We saw a capacity field of 16 runners confirmed for The Hunter in 2023, along with three emergencies, in case of any scratchings. In the end, we saw five pre-race scratchings, which included; Vilana, I Am Me, Strait Acer, Ayrton and Far Too Easy. Despite the five scratchings only the first emergency, Military Expert gained entry into the confirmed field.

Scratchings are a way of life in horse racing and you must try to keep as on top of it as possible. They can happen at any time and for any number of reasons, so if you’ve got a bet on The Hunter, or any horse race for that matter, you should check regularly to see how any scratchings may impact your bet.

Another key aspect to look into is the barrier draw. The bigger the field, the more influence the barrier draw will have on the race. The track layout also comes into play here as well and different runners have different running styles that would influence the gate they would prefer to jump from (i.e. an insider or wider barrier).

The Hunter is one of the newer races on the Australian calendar and has only been around for a handful of years. This makes the task of putting together The Hunter form guide slightly trickier as there isn’t a lot of data and statistics to go off. Despite the fact there isn’t a lot of data, it is still important to check out what you can.

The data can unveil patterns and potentially point you in the direction of the next winner. While we can’t see true patterns emerge just yet for The Hunter, when it comes to the form guide, there are some things you should look out for. Some of the key areas you should look into before placing any bets are showcased in this section.

First things first, the barrier draw is important, especially considering we usually see a full field take part in The Hunter. While Newcastle Racecourse is a fair track that has a long home straight, the 1,300m start means runners aren’t too far away from the first turn, so having a good track position in the early stages of the race is important.

We’ve seen some interesting form lines converging into The Hunter, but it is a good idea to look at runners who have had proven success over the distance and at the same track. There will likely be some local runners that take part in The Hunter, so consider how much the home track advantage may come into play.

A race like the Russell Balding Stakes is a good lead-up to look into. Each year, it is raced a couple of weeks before The Hunter under set weights conditions. With The Hunter being a handicap race and usually weaker than the Russell Balding Stakes, look for runners coming from that race who get in light at the weights.

Here are some of the key statistics of the winners so far in The Hunter:

• Coal Crusher (2023) - 6YO gelding, barrier 2, weight 56.5kg, starting price $4.80.
• Vilana (2022) - 4YO horse, barrier 7, weight 57kg, starting price $4.80.
• Lost And Running (2021) - 5YO gelding, barrier 14, weight 59kg, starting price $2.50.
• Sweet Deal (2020) - 6YO mare, barrier 4, weight 56kg, starting price $10.
• Savatiano (2019) - 5YO mare, barrier 14, weight 55.5kg, starting price $4.60.

The Hunter is a great new race on the calendar that showcases everything that provincial racing has in NSW. Despite only running for a few years, we see some of the best sprinters take part in this race each year, including a mixture of interstate and local runners. 

As The Hunter has only been around for a handful of years, we haven’t had to make any tough decisions we’ve had to for some other races. We’ve gone through and provided a profile on all The Hunter horses in this section, focusing on each winner's career achievements and more.

Savatiano - 2019

Savatiano won the inaugural edition of The Hunter in 2019. The mare finished her career with a record of 41:13-10-3 and with over $2 million in the bank. She won a few key races in her career, including the Canterbury Stakes at Randwick Racecourse, which is one of the biggest Group One races in Sydney’s Autumn Racing Carnival.

Sweet Deal - 2020

In the second-ever running of The Hunter, it was Sweet Deal that got the chocolates. Sweet Deal contested four Group 1s throughout her career and she placed third in one of them, the Tattersall's Tiara. She finished her career with a record of 48: 11-8-3 and with almost $2 million worth of prize money in the bank.

Lost And Running - 2021

Lost And Running won The Hunter in 2021 and the gelding had a very successful career, which included victories at both Group 3 and Group 2 levels. He contested three Group 1 races throughout his career but was unplaced in all three of them. He has over $4 million in prize money to his name and finished his career with a record of 21:9-2-1.

Vilana - 2022

Vilana has had a very successful career so far, including a win in The Hunter in 2022. The gelding is a multiple Group 3 winner and has won one Group 2, so far. He has contested five Group 1 races at this stage in this career but is currently unplaced in all five attempts. So far, Vilana has a career record of 24:8-2-2 and has won over $2 million in prize money.

Coal Crusher - 2023

The 2023 winner of The Hunter, Coal Crusher, has a career record of 33:9-8-2, at the time of writing. He has contested races at Group 3, Group 2 and Group 1 level, but at this stage, still doesn’t have a Group level victory to his name. Despite this, he has already amassed over $1 million in career prize money.

The Hunter odds will tell you which runners the bookies think are more likely to win the race. It is important to remember this is only a guide though and we see massive roughies win horse races all the time. Comparing The Hunter odds with a variety of different bookies is a good idea as well, as the odds may be different.

You’ll also notice that the odds will change constantly, even while you’re in the process of placing your bet. Many factors go into consideration when producing the odds and this is why they change all the time. So, if you see a price you like, it’s a good idea to jump on while you can, otherwise, you risk the odds shortening.

During race week, there will be a raft of horse racing markets available for you to choose from. So, if you want to bet on one of the more obscure markets, you’ll have to wait until then. If you’re looking to place a Fixed Win or Place bet, the market will usually open up well before the race.

This is known as a great time to place your bets, especially if the market is listed as “Before Noms”. You’ll likely get better odds for runners then compared to if you placed your bets on the day of the race and will end up getting your stake back if your chosen runner doesn’t make the final field.

We will bring you all The Hunter odds, thanks to PlayUp, as soon as they release their market for the event.

There isn’t necessarily a long and rich history to The Hunter, considering the race has only been around since 2019. However, we can discuss the reasons this race came about and what has happened in this race so far. We will also update this section with any relevant information as it comes to light.

Since 2019, The Hunter has taken place at the end of Sydney’s Spring Racing Carnival, which is now rivalling Melbourne as one of the best horse racing carnivals going around. The introduction of The Hunter means we see quality horse racing action continue well into November.

There are now nine consecutive weeks worth of million-dollar race days in NSW, which also includes The Gong at Kembla Grange Racecourse, which is held one week after The Hunter. Both those races have become the richest races that are held outside of the Sydney metropolitan area.

The introduction of The Hunter has worked wonders to showcase a track, runners and connections that wouldn’t normally get the attention they deserve. It’s great for Newcastle, as they have a new event promotion and it brings in trainers, jockeys and more from NSW to Newcastle. 

On top of this, local trainers and jockeys are potentially able to strut their stuff on their home track, but with a lot more eyeballs on them. They also get to compete for a level of prize money that they probably have never competed for on their home track.

Now, Newcastle joins the likes of Kembla Grange, Scone, Hawkesbury and Gosford as the regional NSW clubs that host a stand-alone metropolitan Saturday horse racing event. As The Hunter continues to become a more established race, bigger names in the industry will likely head to Newcastle to compete.

The Hunter is always a hotly contested race, but which runner came out on top this time? We will bring you all the latest results as soon as they come in, this includes a table with the finishing order of the entire field along with a full race replay. 

In 2023, the race was taken out by 6YO gelding, Coal Crusher. Coal Crusher jumped from barrier one and was first for the majority of the race. King Of Sparta was 1L behind Coal Crusher, after jumping from barrier five.

In third place was Rocketing By, who came from near the back of the field to finish 2.5L off Coal Crusher. The Hunter was run in a time of 1:15.49 in 2023 and there was a total of 9.94L that split the first and last runners across the finishing post.

See where every runner in The Hunter finished:

Ready to relive all the action? We’ve got the full race replay of The Hunter so you can see how the race unfolded for every runner.

The Hunter is always an exciting race with some high-quality sprinters strutting their stuff in Newcastle. We have put together a list of all The Hunter winners since its inception in 2019:

You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers! The Hunter is still a fairly new race, so it’s likely you still have questions. This section on The Hunter FAQs goes through all the most common questions people have about the race.