19:15 Newcastle

Friday 10 November 2017

All17:4518:1518:4519:1519:4520:1520:4521:15

sunbets.co.uk Handicap

Off time: 19:16 | Winning time: 1m 38.59s

(4)

Edgar Balthazar^p³⁶¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: P Makin| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 84| D

33/1

Useful performer on his day but form on the AW is inconclusive so far and he makes his very late seasonal reappearance here so has the lay-off to overcome as well.

Form: P89049-

(1)

Escape Clause¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: B A Curtis| T: Grant Tuer| OR: 85

80/1

Makes his first start for this trainer having lost his way for Jessica Harrington in Ireland; would need a replication of his very best form in order to have a say here.

Form: 6-62760

(5)

Pouvoir Magique¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: R Havlin| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 85

5/2

Ayr maiden winner in July who has come up short in two races over intermediate distances since, and is dropped down to this trip as a result. Could lack the tactical speed for this distance.

Form: 3147

(11)

Alexandrakollontai^b¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 9-4| J: J P Sullivan| T: A C Whillans| OR: 82| CD

10/1

C&D winner who has found her AW mark difficult since winning here last year. Much more like it at this course two starts ago, though, and she isn't discounted.

Form: 767553

(14)

My Amigo^p³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: P J McDonald| T: K R Burke| OR: 81

9/1

Both career wins over sprint trips and both came last year. Form for this yard uninspiring so far and he could find things difficult here from the outside draw.

Form: 13-0547

(7)

Waarif^t³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 80| D

9/4

Lightly-raced type who finished second on handicap debut over C&D last time out. A 1lb rise seems on the lenient side and it would be a surprise if he couldn't at least hit the frame on his second outing for this stable.

Form: 641-2

(9)

Echo Of Lightning^p¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-2| J: T Hamilton| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 80| D

80/1

Has finished last in his two most recent races, was running well without winning prior to that but both previous efforts on the AW have been poor.

Form: 873200

(12)

Testa Rossa^b³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-1| J: Sean Mooney⁽⁷⁾| T: J S Goldie| OR: 79| CD

14/1

C&D winner who ran a fair race here last time out under this apprentice rider. Overall strike-rate is fairly good and he should return to winning ways soon enough off a slowly decreasing mark.

Form: 648626

(6)

Prying Pandora¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: P Hanagan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 78| CD

12/1

Only narrowly denied by recent Listed winner Titi Makfi at Newmarket in August but two runs since haven't been up to that standard and she needs to bounce back now.

Form: 266250

(3)

Espresso Freddo^t1¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: L Morris| T: R Stephens| OR: 80| C

40/1

Well-beaten on hurdling debut at Kempton last month, but had been in good for over 7f on the AW prior to that so not without a hope returning to the Flat in a first-time tongue strap.

Form: 311520

(10)

Johnny Cavagin^t¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 8-13| J: Lewis Edmunds⁽³⁾| T: Ronald Thompson| OR: 77

20/1

No win since July 2016 despite having run plenty of times since, he is 0/4 over this trip and only AW win was five years ago in a weaker race.

Form: 536526

(8)

Muqarred^p¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-10| J: Jason Hart| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 74| D

50/1

Just 3lb higher than when winning at Southwell last month but both AW wins have come on that specialist Fibresand surface, form on Tapeta this year reads 766800.

Form: 280010

(13)

Planetaria¹⁰²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-10| J: Joe Doyle| T: Miss J A Camacho| OR: 74| D

22/1

Only poor efforts this year, all wins have come on turf and much better needed on his first start since leaving John Weymes.

Form: 382-970

(2)

Zabeel Star¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-10| J: Barry McHugh| T: Karen McLintock| OR: 74| D

22/1

A winner at Wolverhampton two starts ago but only win over a trip as short as this came as a three-year-old and he probably needs further nowadays.

Form: 430717

Forecasts

Waarif (9/4), Pouvoir Magique (5/2), My Amigo (9/1), Alexandrakollontai (10/1), Prying Pandora (12/1), Testa Rossa (14/1), Johnny Cavagin (20/1), Zabeel Star (22/1), Planetaria (22/1), Edgar Balthazar (33/1), Espresso Freddo (40/1), Muqarred (50/1), Escape Clause (80/1), Echo Of Lightning (80/1)

Unlike many of these exposed contenders, WAARIF has plenty of potential to improve and can build on a promising handicap debut over C&D last month to get his head in front here. Up just 1lb, which looks potentially generous from the handicapper, he seemed to relish conditions last time (his maiden win also came on the AW, at Dundalk), and he should run another big race here. Testa Rossa is back to what looks an appealing mark and is feared most, ahead of Alexandrakollontai.