John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on Tuesday.
Geisha can get off mark at Beverley
All eight three-year-olds in Beverley’s mile and a quarter handicap (16:52) are seeking a first win of their careers and the one who looks most likely to make the breakthrough is Wadacre Geisha for Charlie Johnston. The Johnston stable has had plenty of success with other members of this family in the black and yellow colours of the Wadacre Stud, including Wadacre Geisha’s dam Wadacre Gogo who won middle-distance handicaps at Chelmsford and Wolverhampton.
Wadacre Geisha didn’t make her debut until March and offered little encouragement in her first three starts but has fared better in her two runs at Beverley since getting a handicap mark. Those efforts have earned her the ‘Horses For Courses’ flag. Making her handicap debut in May, she set out to make all and was collared only close home, splitting the subsequent winners Ciao Capo and Regulus Black.
Back over the same course and distance last time, Wadacre Geisha again set the pace until late on, and while this time finishing last of the four runners, she was only a couple of lengths or so behind winner Vietnorm. That form has been boosted too since, notably by the wayward runner-up Bradbury winning his next two starts. Representing solid form at a lowly level and fully 4 lb clear in the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings, Wadacre Geisha can get off the mark.
Phantom Gold’s stable has excellent course record
Jennie Candlish’s Staffordshire yard does very well when sending runners down to Newton Abbot, with a record of 8 winners there from 22 runners. Both the stable’s entries at the Devon track on Tuesday evening look to have good chances as Saint Polo tops the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings in the amateur riders’ hurdle (17:35), as does Phantom Gold in the novices’ handicap hurdle (19:15).
Phantom Gold in particular makes plenty of appeal in his race. He made a winning debut in a bumper at Newton Abbot in July 2023 for Ben Brookhouse though clearly had his share of problems after that as he wasn’t seen again until this April when making his debut for the Candlish yard and switching to hurdles.
He has progressed with each run since and not for the first time shaped very well on his latest start when making his handicap debut in a novice event at Southwell earlier this month. That was won impressively by Prettylady, but Phantom Gold, conceding the winner almost a stone, emerged with plenty of credit a length back in second, powering home under tender handling having had plenty to do on the home turn. That eye-catching effort earned Phantom Gold the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag and gives him every chance here.
Yokohama to bounce back on better ground
John Butler has the ‘Hot Trainer’ flag, with the stable having a double at Wolverhampton a week ago. That good form can be maintained by Yokohama who heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings in the apprentice handicap which closes Newbury’s evening card (20:35).
Yokohama made a winning debut for the yard at two but, now aged five, it took him until last month to get his head in front again, landing a gamble in the process. That came at Newbury over a furlong further than this evening’s contest where he was always holding on at the end of a strongly-run race, beating Patrol by half a length with the pair finishing clear of subsequent winner Amancio in third.
That was on good ground, but when favourite to follow up at Yarmouth earlier this month, Yokohama left the impression that he didn’t seem at home in the softer conditions in finishing third to High Point. That run looks worth overlooking, therefore, and with nothing wrong with the form of his win, and back on better ground, he looks well worth another chance with Mason Paetel on board for the first time.
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