16:50 Newcastle

Wednesday 21 February 2018

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

sunbets.co.uk Handicap

Off time: 16:54 | Winning time: 1m 38.80s

Testa Rossa³⁵

Age: 16| Weight: 9-9| J: Unknown| T: J S Goldie| CD

Form: 62635-1

(8)

Roaring Forties¹⁰²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Jason Hart| T: Rebecca Bastiman| OR: 85

10/1

Kept busy during the back-end of the turf season, and was a winner over 7f at Musselburgh in mid October. Freshened up with a break, and 1 from 1 on the AW (6f Polytrack winner in 2015), but 8lb higher than at Musselburgh.

Form: 261540-

(7)

Glory Awaits^p²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 9-6| J: J P Spencer| T: D M Simcock| OR: 84| D

8/1

Runner up to Dawn Approach in the 2013 2,000 Guineas, but that was a long time ago now, and he's falling steadily in the weights following some lacklustre efforts. Never raced at this level before, so potentially that's the answer.

Form: 30230-0

(6)

Lost At Sea^v¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: B A Curtis| T: K R Burke| OR: 82

3/1

Beaten just a head by International Law over C&D recently, and has seemingly been revived by the application of the visor. Creeping up the weights, but has the added bonus of Ben Curtis taking over in the saddle today.

Form: 990-832

(4)

Mutarakez¹¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: J P Sullivan| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 81| D

8/1

An improving miler for Brian Meehan in the spring of 2015, taking the Haydock Silver Bowl with ease off a mark of 95. Gradually regressed, and joins Ruth Carr for £22,000 largely unexposed on the AW, and very well treated rated just 81.

Form: 330066-

(2)

Ifubelieveindreams⁸⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: S Donohoe| T: I Mohammed & J Santos| OR: 79

7/2

Raced almost exclusively on synthetics during her short career and was a fast finishing runner up off this mark at Lingfield in November (beaten ¾L by Favourite Royal). One to consider for a trainer who is 4 from 12 (33%) at Newcastle.

Form: 4/32412-

(1)

International Law^p¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: Cam Hardie| T: A Brittain| OR: 75| CD

5/1

Cost 30,000 gns from Brian Meehan in the Autumn, and was a C&D winner on his second start for this stable last month, beating Lost At Sea by a head. Up 4lb, and drawn wide (low), but respected.

Form: 5871-41

(3)

Zabeel Star³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 8-10| J: Connor Murtagh⁽⁵⁾| T: Karen McLintock| OR: 74| D

7/1

His trainer has been amongst the winners lately, and he's consistent overall on the AW. Twice placed at this track during December and January (1m2f & 1m4f), but he's where the handicapper wants him and not certain to be ideally suited by this trip.

Form: 7642-35

(5)

Newmarket Warrior^p¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 8-6| J: Jamie Gormley⁽⁵⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 70| CD

10/1

Doesn't always deliver the goods in the heat of the battle, and needs producing as late as possible. Generally hard to win with (2 from 35 career; both over C&D) and disappointing latest. Others make more appeal.

Form: 4134-30

The Third Man¹²

Age: 15| Weight: 8-4| J: Unknown| T: H Spiller

Form: 52849/4

Forecasts

Lost At Sea (3/1), Ifubelieveindreams (7/2), International Law (5/1), Zabeel Star (7/1), Mutarakez (8/1), Glory Awaits (8/1), Newmarket Warrior (10/1), Roaring Forties (10/1)

Not so deep in numbers as some of the other handicaps on a very strong Newcastle card, but competitive enough with International Law and Lost At Sea locking horns after fighting out the finish to a similar race over C&D earlier this month. Both horses are much respected despite inching up the weights, but a couple of the others are slightly more enticing. Ifubelieveindreams merits close inspection in the prelims, and she should go very close if repeating her excellent fast finishing second to Favourite Royal at Lingfield in November, with her trainer Ismail Mohammed not known for sending runners North to Newcastle solely for the good of their health (4 from 12 on the AW, and 2 from 8 on the old turf track). However, we'll take a chance that Ruth Carr can work her magic on MUTARAKEZ. She's an expert handler at rejuvenating horses who have lost their way, and this largely AW untested new recruit (cost £22,000) is absolutely thrown in off a mark of 81 if able to regain some of his old sparkle from 2015.