14:40 Newcastle

Thursday 8 February 2018

All14:0514:4015:1015:4516:2016:5517:30

Betway Handicap

Off time: 14:40 | Winning time: 2m 41.83s

(1)

Royal Reserve¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: K Shoemark| T: D O'Meara| OR: 87| D

11/1

Has developed into a broadly reliable AW performer for his current trainer, but high enough in the weights as a result. No match for emphatic winner Island Brave at Wolverhampton latest, but 1m4f is seemingly his optimum trip.

Form: 2391-73

(2)

Paddyplex³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: P Makin| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 87| C

9/4

Beaten for the first time on the Flat over C&D early last month, when edged out by just a head by Dubawi Fifty. Lost his unbeaten record (1,1,2) but certainly went down fighting, and that rates as a rock-solid effort.

Form: 11-2

(4)

L'Inganno Felice^h²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 9-10| J: Cam Hardie| T: I Jardine| OR: 85| C| D

33/1

His two previous course successes have come over 1m2f, but he also stays further (1m4f Southwell winner in January 2017). We've not seen all that much of him in action over the past 12 months, and he'll have needed the race latest.

Form: 11295-6

(7)

Lexington Law^p⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: Tom Marquand| T: A King| OR: 84| D

9/4

Led close home when breaking the duck at the 16th attempt at Lingfield in December (1m4f). Up 5lb, which is possibly a shade harsh, but in the handicappers defence, he is seemingly strongest on synthetics, so is most likely one to be wary of.

Form: 433391-

(3)

Stonific³¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: S H James| T: D O'Meara| OR: 79

11/1

Off the track since March 2017, and left previous trainer Andre Fabre for €16,000 in July. Never won beyond 1m2f, and unraced on synthetics, but interesting to see exactly what his new trainer can make of him.

Form: 2518/70-

(5)

The Resdev Way¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: P Hanagan| T: P A Kirby| OR: 72| CD

12/1

Triple C&D winner who appeared to be on the way back to form when beaten 1½L by Mambo Dancer over 2m here early last month. Beaten elsewhere since, but this is his manor, and a force to be reckoned with when on song.

Form: 0067-25

(6)

Theglasgowwarrior²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-4| J: Phil Dennis⁽³⁾| T: J S Goldie| OR: 67| CD

7/2

His trainer has been knocking in the winners here so far in 2018, and this improving sort is now 2 from 2 over this C&D. Up 5lb for readily dispatching Somnambulist by 1¼L latest, and should be in the shake up despite the step up in grade.

Form: 29451-1

Forecasts

Lexington Law (9/4), Paddyplex (9/4), Theglasgowwarrior (7/2), Royal Reserve (11/1), Stonific (11/1), The Resdev Way (12/1), L'Inganno Felice (33/1)

A small field, but a competitive little race lies in store with a couple of improving types in the line up along with C&D standing dish The Resdev Way. Theglasgowwarrior is unbeaten in a couple of starts over this C&D, and the suspicion is that the handicapper won't quite have his measure just yet. His trainer Jim Goldie has enjoyed an excellent start to the calendar year on Tyneside, and he should go very close to notching another course winner. However, another Scottish based runner is narrowly preferred. PADDYPLEX (Keith Dalgleish) lost his unbeaten Flat record over C&D latest when just edged out by Dubawi Fifty, but that still rates as a career best performance, and this Multiplex gelding remains on a steady upward curve.