Great Colaci can extend his fine Newcastle record with victory in the Bombardier "March To Your Own Drum" Handicap, according to David Clough.
David Clough tips
LIMERICK: 12.40 Palm Beach, 1.10 Champagne Izzy, 1.40 Elusive Star, 2.15 Live Every Day, 2.45 En Beton, 3.15 Low Lie The Fields, 3.45 Granny Lowrie.
LINGFIELD: 12.20 Brilliant Present, 12.50 Timetoroe, 1.20 Legal Ok, 1.50 Colonel Keating, 2.23 Fricka, 2.53 Finnegan’s Garden, 3.23 Little Rory Mac.
NEWCASTLE: 2.10 Rukwa, 2.40 Darlectable You, 3.10 Taravara, 3.40 GREAT COLACI (NAP), 4.15 Rishworthian, 4.45 Maeve’s Memory, 5.15 Tomily.
SOUTHWELL: 12.30 Rose Of Aghaboe, 1.00 Getariver, 1.30 Ripper Roo, 2.00 Pencreek, 2.32 Ridgeway Flyer, 3.02 Barbados Buck’s, 3.32 Easkey Lad.
WOLVERHAMPTON: 4.00 Griggy, 4.30 Kath’s Lustre, 5.00 Figeac, 5.30 Secretfact, 6.00 Quoteline Direct, 6.30 Masked Identity, 7.00 Harlequin Rose, 7.30 Just Magic, 8.00 Royal Pleasure.
DOUBLE: Finnegan’s Garden and Great Colaci
Great Colaci can extend his fine Newcastle record with victory in the Bombardier “March To Your Own Drum” Handicap.
Gillian Boanas’ course specialist is making his eighth successive trip to Gosforth Park, and it is safe to say it has proved a happy hunting ground so far.
Great Colaci is already a dual course-and-distance winner, has also struck here four times over a furlong shorter and has rarely been out of the money in his 20 visits to date.
The seven-year-old is up 4lb for his success here three weeks ago, putting him on a career-high rating of 66.
It is no exaggeration to depict him in the form of his life, however, and he appeared to have a little bit in hand when he prevailed by half-a-length last time.
There will be no prizes for originality if he and his new regular jockey Oliver Stammers get the job done again, of course – but there is every reason to support them to do so.
Earlier on the card, Rukwa is another worth an interest in the opening Bombardier British Hopped Amber Beer Handicap.
The six-year-old outran his odds when getting closest to a clear-cut and progressive winner over course and distance last time.
That represented a notable improvement, and it will be no surprise if his canny trainer can eke out a win from just a 2lb higher mark.
Rishworthian has decent prospects of successfully conceding weight all round in the Get Your Ladbrokes Daily Odds Boost Nursery Handicap.
David O’Meara’s busy juvenile has already won two of his 10 starts since June, and almost made it three when a close second in selling company over a furlong further at Lingfield last time.
He is no world-beater, but remains consistent and can prove his superiority in this modest grade on his first venture to Newcastle over what looks an ideal trip.
Wolverhampton stages an evening all-weather card, on which Kath’s Lustre can shine before the lights take full effect in the second division of the Play 4 To Win At Betway Handicap.
Richard Hughes’ mare was narrowly beaten over a furlong shorter here in October, and has since run well before fading late on at Chelmsford.
She is a four-time winner over six furlongs, though, once from almost a stone higher – and therefore has plenty in her favour.
Half-an-hour later, Figeac lurks invitingly at the bottom of the weights in the Betway Handicap.
Nick Littmoden’s grey has been a slow-burner since his arrival from France three years ago, often campaigned at even longer trips than this both over hurdles and on the Flat.
But he has been in good heart since returning from a long lay-off this autumn, and ran well to be beaten only a neck over two miles at Kempton two weeks ago.
He was a winner at nine and 10 furlongs in his youth, and can cap his revival in this one-mile-six-furlong test.
Secretfact’s credentials are there for all to see in the Betway Casino Handicap.
He was a course-and-distance winner from the in-form and reliable Smokey in mid-November – and although up 4lb for his trouble, he is a banker to perform well here again.
Over jumps, Finnegan’s Garden will be in his element back in the Lingfield mud for the attheraces.com Conditional Jockeys’ Veterans’ Handicap Chase.
Zoe Davison’s 11-year-old was twice a winner here last winter, and blew away the cobwebs with a largely encouraging return at Fontwell just under a month ago.
At Southwell, Rose Of Aghaboe is an obvious contender as she bids for her hat-trick in the attheraces.com Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Chase.
Nick Gifford's former winning point-to-pointer followed up a hurdles success first time out with a decisive victory on her fencing debut under rules at Leicester.
Responsible gambling
We are committed in our support of responsible gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, or visit begambleaware.org.
Further support and information can be found at GamCare and gamblingtherapy.org.
