15:10 Newcastle

Wednesday 21 February 2018

All14:0514:4015:1015:4516:2016:5017:25

sunbets.co.uk Handicap

Off time: 15:12 | Winning time: 1m 24.79s

Mutawathea⁵²

Age: 15| Weight: 9-10| J: Unknown| T: S & E Crisford

Form: 820816-

Early Morning⁴⁰

Age: 15| Weight: 9-10| J: Unknown| T: H J L Dunlop| D

Form: 80013-2

(3)

Straight Right^h⁴⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| OR: 100| D

10/1

Unbeaten on artificial surfaces in France for his previous trainer (7f+ to 1m), but generally hasn't brought his 'a' game to the table since switched to this yard despite a fairly decent effort at Goodwood in August. Dropped in grade.

Form: 75394-6

(7)

Amazour^p⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 9-9| J: S M Levey| T: I Mohammed & J Santos| OR: 99| CD

11/2

Sports a strong record at this track on synthetics (1,1,7,1), and is effective between 6f and 7f. Beat Brittanic by 1¼L when landing a C&D Conditions Stakes in January, but is 5lb worse off at the weights now.

Form: 30710-1

(12)

My Target¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-8| J: F Norton| T: M Wigham| OR: 98| D

12/1

Somewhat of a Lingfield specialist, and is a very tough nut to crack at that track over 1m. Finished third behind both Amazour and Brittanic in a C&D Conditions Stakes in January, so has something to find with those rivals.

Form: 700-433

Dragon Mall¹⁴

Age: 13| Weight: 9-8| J: Unknown| T: D M Simcock

Form: 390-351

(2)

Hayadh¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Jason Hart| T: Rebecca Bastiman| OR: 95| D

8/1

Formerly with John Gosden, and back from a monster absence (stable debut) with a game all the way, all out success at Wolverhampton earlier in the month (7f). Up 3lb, but he has the talent to make his mark if kept sound.

Form: 12641/1

(10)

Suzi's Connoisseur^h,t⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: S C Williams| OR: 95| CD

10/1

Very capable horse who mixes it in competitive handicaps on each and every racecourse appearance. Not won since taking this prize in 2017 (off the same mark), but has charted a similar path in order to line up in this contest.

Form: 30703-5

(5)

Brittanic⁴⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: J P Spencer| T: D M Simcock| OR: 94| CD

6/1

Perhaps hasn't quite fulfilled his early potential, but rates a solid performer at this track (1,1,7,2). Beaten 1¼L by Amazour in a C&D Conditions Stakes in January, but is 5lb better off at the weights now.

Form: 1/1757-2

(14)

Swift Approval^b²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-4| J: Edward Greatrex| T: S C Williams| OR: 94| BF| D

7/1

Stablemate of 2017 winner Suzi's Connoisseur who arrives in fine fettle. Beaten just a neck by Von Blucher over C&D in early January, and rock-solid since, but now races off a 3lb higher mark.

Form: 029-212

(1)

Lualiwa¹²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: K Stott| T: K A Ryan| OR: 93| D

12/1

Prominent racer who enjoyed a fine season on turf last year, regularly rock-solid over 7f at York; a winner there from a 6lb lower mark in July. Back from a break for just his second AW start seeking to maintain his 100% synthetics record.

Form: 211260-

(11)

What's The Story¹⁰²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Callum Rodriguez⁽³⁾| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 92| D

7/1

Lightly raced overall, but won both of his starts in 2017, including on handicap debut at Doncaster (7f soft) in November. Up 8lb and heads off down the AW route for the first time, but in a very deep race.

Form: 222/11-

Ower Fly¹⁴⁴

Age: 13| Weight: 9-1| J: J P Sullivan| T: Mrs R Carr| D

Form: 403210-

(13)

London^h³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: Josephine Gordon| T: P S McEntee| OR: 91| D

20/1

Another who appreciates racing to the fore, and got the job done in a lesser grade when scoring by a neck at Southwell (1m) last month. Just 2lb higher here, but likely to be vulnerable to better/stronger horses late on.

Form: 0529-18

(9)

Qaffaal⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 8-13| J: Nathan Evans| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 89| C| D

16/1

Enjoyed a productive AW campaign last winter, rattling off a hat-trick, and has competed well off higher marks since. Raced over longer trips since finishing a respectable fourth over C&D in December (1lb higher), and this race could be run to suit.

Form: 0934-55

(6)

Holiday Magic²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 8-13| J: Harrison Shaw⁽⁷⁾| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 89| D

20/1

Beaten just a head by Suzi's Connoisseur in this race in 2017, and races from a 5lb lower mark today (effectively 12lb when allowing for his riders claim). Not so good this term in lesser races, but you'd be in no rush to be a layer.

Form: 0907-26

(4)

Gallipoli^h1²⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-12| J: J Garritty| T: R A Fahey| OR: 88| D

20/1

Withdrawn at Lingfield last week after breaking through the stalls, and races for the first time since mid June 2017 as a result. Has experience of big field handicaps (7f Leicester winner in April), but 0 from 1 on the AW, and returns hooded.

Form: 86/1290-

(8)

Heaven's Guest¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 8-11| J: P Hanagan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 87| C| D

10/1

Beaten just ½L by Charles Molson over C&D in this grade in December (Qaffal fourth, and others behind), and took advantage of a drop in class to score well over 6f latest. Worthy of consideration off just 2lb higher.

Form: 4802-51

Testa Rossa³⁵

Age: 16| Weight: 8-11| J: Unknown| T: J S Goldie| C| D

Form: 62635-1

Twin Appeal¹⁴

Age: 15| Weight: 8-9| J: B A Curtis| T: T D Barron| BF| D

Form: 8521-45

Firmdecisions¹²

Age: 16| Weight: 8-6| J: Unknown| T: N Tinkler| D

Form: 0059-24

Welliesinthewater¹⁴

Age: 16| Weight: 8-5| J: P Mathers| T: D Shaw| D

Form: 0096-03

Deansgate⁴⁰

Age: 13| Weight: 8-4| J: Unknown| T: Miss J A Camacho| CD

Form: 41542-1

Forecasts

Amazour (11/2), Brittanic (6/1), What's The Story (7/1), Swift Approval (7/1), Hayadh (8/1), Straight Right (10/1), Heaven's Guest (10/1), Suzi's Connoisseur (10/1), My Target (12/1), Lualiwa (12/1), Qaffaal (16/1), Gallipoli (20/1), Holiday Magic (20/1), London (20/1)

An ultra competitive 7f handicap which features some very talented performers, and is therefore far from straight-forward to solve. One wouldn't want to be in any hurry to put a line through too many of the runners, and the open looking market reflects this fact. Suzi's Connoisseur took the prize in 2017, out-pointing Holiday Magic by just a head, with both horses holding similar claims of a repeat from identical and much lower handicap marks respectively. Amazour, Brittanic and My Target met in a C&D Conditions Stakes last month, and whilst the first named of that trio now races on less favourable terms, he scored with a little bit up his sleeve and could well confirm placings. The early pace will be fierce with Hayadh, Swift Approval, Lualiwa and London amongst those who race prominently, so you'll need to be with a hold up performer. Suzi's Connoiseur fits that bill perfectly, but so to does QAFFAAL. He's not won a race since March 2017, but he's fully effective in this grade at Newcastle as he's shown on plenty of occasions in the past, and could well pop up latest of all at fairly rewarding odds.