Trainer Craig Widdison believes The Prodigal Son is right on target to produce a career best performance in Thursday’s $200,000 Tooheys Wagga Town Plate (1200m).

Joe Pride only had one instruction for jockey Tyler Schiller when he was legged aboard Coal Crusher ahead of the $1m Newcastle Herald Hunter (1300m) – "go fast and win" – and it proved to be prophetic.

The Joe Pride-trained Coal Crusher has led them a merry dance in The Hunter.

An in-depth look at the chances of every runner in Saturday's $1 million Newcastle Herald Hunter (1300m) at Newcastle.

Perennial underdog Rocketing By hasn’t started in single figures for over two years but trainer David Pfieffer is adamant he’s going well enough to upset the applecart in Saturday’s Group 2 $300,000 Toyota Forklifts Missile Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill.