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Warwick Farm trainer Peter Snowden will chase his third Enviropacific Newcastle Newmarket after declaring his tough eight year old Pinwheel a certain starter after weights were released on Thursday.

Pinwheel will carry top weight of 59kgs in the $126,400 Group 3 event over 1400m. Snowden also has Cameo and Wistful in the weights and he will decide on a start for them after the pair gallop at Warwick Farm on Saturday.

“Pinwheel is a good weight carrier and with his good record, I expected him to be top weight. He has had three runs from a spell and he is going well.

Pinwheel was only beaten by 1.2 lengths in the Group 1 Futurity at Caulfield on February 22 and he was beaten 2 lengths in the Liverpool City Cup at Warwick Farm last Saturday. Pinwheel has won more than $1.2M and he has won or been placed in Group races in three states.

He is ready to win and 1400 metres is his pet distance.

Cameo has had one run back when she was underdone and likewise Wistful. I will see how they gallop Saturday morning before deciding on a start for both.

I won this race last year with Bello and I also won with Falaise in 2008. I will probably have five starters on Wednesday”, the Hunter Valley bred Snowden said on Thursday.

Kris Lees’ European stayer Slow Pace (USA) has been allotted second top weight of 57kgs.

“This horse has started 15 times in France and the USA for 4 wins and 2 placings. In his last French start in August, Slow Pace finished third in a Group 2 race over 2500 metres and he was beaten less than half a length. He is a stayer but he won a 1600 metre Maiden in his first race start.

I was happy with Slow Pace’s barrier trials and I had to start him off somewhere.

I can’t see him beating a horse like Pinwheel but I would like him to be running home strongly.

I have had Slow Pace for three months and he is the highest rated horse I have trained for Australian Bloodstock. He is nominated for the big races in the autumn”, Lees said.

Lees’ father Max, who passed away more than 10 years ago, trained three winners of the Newcastle Newmarket. They were Vain Fury (1985), Lucky Rass (1988) and Techniques (1999).

Gai Waterhouse’s foreman Mark Newnham said on Wednesday that both Rain Drum (56kgs) and the up and coming Almighty Charge (54kgs) will both run and the stable expects a bold showing from both.

“Both will run with Blake Shinn on Rain Drum and Tim Clark aboard Almighty Charge. Rain Drum has had one run back in the Apollo and he finished mid field. The 1400 metres is perfect for him and he is a Group 2 winner. His Melbourne form in the spring was good.

Almighty Charge is in great form and the 1400 metre trip is ideal. He was narrowly beaten by Ecuador last start and he is one of the favourites for the Doncaster Mile. Tim rides this horse very well and he is a light weight chance.

The Newcastle Newmarket Handicap is always a good race and it fits in well with the big autumn races. It’s a great track and Gai races there every meeting.

Gai also has Miss Stellabelle in the race but she is only 50/50 about running her,” Newnham said.

Sydney premier trainer Chris Waller has three imported gallopers nominated for the Newmarket.

I called Waller on Wednesday to discuss his runners.

“Diametric (IRE) and Danchai (GB) are stayers and Weary (FR) is a miler. I haven’t studied the weights yet and I won’t make a decision on a start for any of them until Monday morning. They are amongst the latest batch of European horses we have bought.

All three of these are nice horses and they are worth following in the future”, Waller said.

Peter Moody has the front running Strawberry Boy (55kg) and High Esteem (54kg) in the weights.

The nominations are of a high quality for the 2014 Enviropacific Newcastle Newmarket and the track is in superb condition.

Acceptances for all races on Wednesday include the Group 3 Newmarket Handicap close at 9am on Monday.