Check out our resident tipster's race-by-race verdicts and nap selection for Monday's meeting at Newcastle.
13.00 (All times BST, live on Sky Sports Racing, click race time for racecard and FREE video form): Stone Mason has been gelded since making his handicap debut for Roger Charlton and will likely be winning for new connections this year. He drops down to a mile for the first time along with a similar type in Heavenly Tale, who has also switched yards since last year. Ghadbbaan and Ideal Destiny are others with scope handicapping for the first time while Roger Fell runs three with AL OZZDI preferred. The latter was also drawn high when scoring over track and trip back in January and has gone close again at Wolverhampton subsequently. Tiercel was narrowly beaten over 7f here in March with Curfewed and The Big House others worthy of a second glance.
13.35: MUTASAAMY improved for being gelded last year and won at Kempton in August when beating a subsequent winner. He’s been raised 8lb but looks ahead of the handicapper given the ease of that success and Roger Charlton’s charge can make a winning return. Geizy Teizy won a fillies contest at Wolverhampton at the end of last year and is only 2lb higher today while Motawaafeq was thereabouts on the Fibresand at Southwell earlier in the year. Cote d'Azur and Little Jo are closely matched on running here in November but Defence Treaty remains 5lb higher than when scoring over 7f at the track last summer.
14.10: Edraak and Ejtilaab have both switched yards and are conceding weight to the younger horses with the latter also penalised for winning at Doncaster last summer. BOND’S BOY won at Redcar on his debut before finishing a creditable third in the valuable Tattersalls sales race at Newmarket in October behind the smart winner Under The Stars, rated 105. Richard Fahey’s charge looks to have leading claims on that form and is preferred to Little Red Socks, who made a winning start at Wolverhampton in March and makes more appeal than stablemate and newcomer Benefit Street. Other newcomers to note include Blazing Hot and the 160,000gns purchase Freedom Flyer.
14.45: A couple of these stand out including Art Power. The latter returned a wide-margin winner at York in October and the form looks solid with both placed horses subsequently winning but MAGICAL JOURNEY is just preferred. James Tate’s filly made a winning start on fast ground before finishing runner-up in a Listed contest in soft going at Newmarket at the end of last season and should be bang there at the finish. Twist Of Hay has plenty of improving to do to figure with Electric Mistress, Continental and Manumission newcomers to keep an eye on.
15.20: TATHMEEN (NAP) was in fine form earlier in the year when winning three times over the minimum trip here before going close again over today’s distance at Wolverhampton in a higher grade sprint than this. Antony Brittain’s charge has the beating of both Heath Charnock and Wild Edric and another bold bid is expected on his return. Tricky Dicky showed good progress on Turf last year though hasn’t raced since winning at York in July and is 5lb higher for this while Brian The Snail is not the most consistent but went close off today’s mark at Ripon last term. Yousini slid down the weights in 2019 and Lincoln Park is back on a winning mark.
15.55: Oakenshield, Macho Touch and Rock Of Diamonds go handicapping for the first time with the latter preferred on last year’s placed efforts over 7f. Captain Corcoran has switched yards since winning at Navan in October and that looks stronger form than Alix James’s novice success at Musselburgh in the same month. Taste The Nectar and Red Treble are not out of this off their current marks but WHAT A BUSINESS competed in decent handicaps without success after winning a nursery at Nottingham in August and doesn’t look badly treated on his reappearance having been gelded during the interim.
16.30: Queen Of Kalahari, Puchita and Gorgeous General have all proved best on the Fibresand at Southwell so far but Be Proud scored over track and trip in December and could go close. Tomshalfbrother won a lower grade sprint at Chelmsford in March but stablemate Bhangra has the more scope while Quanah is another upped in class. Oisin Murphy’s presence on Indian Sounds takes the eye and Fox Hill has a shout on her Turf form but a chance is taken on EXCESSABLE. The latter ended last year with a third over course and distance in a tougher sprint than this and may have fallen far enough down the weights to end a long losing run.
17.05: Mark Johnston runs two with Star Of The East having stronger form than Bo Samraan but he hasn’t raced since 2018 and Joe Fanning partners the latter. Ice Pyramid and stablemate December Second won easily over course and distance and at Haydock respectively when last in action though both also have a hike in the weights to contend with while Makawee is arguably better over a longer trip. Alignak won a novice event for Sir Michael Stoute at Kempton back in September and makes his handicap debut while GOOD TIDINGS has been gelded since showing signs of temperament at the end of last year. John Gosden’s dual novice winner had shown plenty of ability before that when going close in tougher handicaps than this and gets the vote on his comeback.
17.40: FRANKLY DARLING was beaten a length in testing ground at Yarmouth on last year’s debut and this longer trip will suit judged on her winning relatives. She may prove the one to side with though Thibaan is a half-brother to a Listed winner over today’s distance in France and is another expected to improve having finished fourth over a mile at Kempton on his introduction. Flames Of York showed some ability when placed over 7f here last summer while Dream With Me is a half-brother to the smart Rain Goddess and Rocket Rod can count a Group 2 winner among his winning relatives.
18.15: Quantum Dawn improved for the step up to 1m2f at Lingfield in March while stablemate Hatheem is the first foal of a Listed winner. Wise Glory ran well at Beverley on his debut and has been gelded subsequently but BYZANTINE EMPIRE looks worth another chance. Never going at Sandown when last in action, he’d earlier separated a couple of subsequent winners when runner-up at Kempton and gets the vote on that form. Zoran was still well beaten when runner-up at Wolverhampton and Assayer is preferred with the Frankel newcomer Valyrian Steel and Mister Blue others to note.
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