20:15 Newcastle

Thursday 8 March 2018

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

Betway Cheltenham First&Last Race Losers Moneyback Handicap

Off time: 20:16 | Winning time: 1m 16.30s

(7)

Heaven's Guest¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 9-10| J: P Hanagan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 87| CD

3/1

C&D winner in this grade on penultimate start before finding class two company too hot last time. This is more his level nowadays and he is capable of bouncing back.

Form: 802-517

(5)

Royal Brave¹³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: P Makin| T: Rebecca Bastiman| OR: 84| BF| C| D

33/1

C&D winner in November 2016 (from a 14lb lower mark), but that's because he had a productive 2017 on turf, recording a hat-trick of early season victories. Not raced since October, so certain to be fresh and raring to race.

Form: 442766-

(2)

Firmdecisions²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 9-5| J: Lewis Edmunds⁽³⁾| T: N Tinkler| OR: 82

11/2

Not beaten all that far on his stable debut over 6f in early February when finishing 1½L fourth to Heaven's Guest. A 2lb turnaround in the weights may not be enough and his seven career victories have come over 7f.

Form: 0059-24

(1)

Born To Finish^p⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: J Fanning| T: J A Osborne| OR: 80| BF| D

3/1

Winner of six AW races and at his best in bigger fields than this when there is a good gallop to aim at. Yet to make the frame from a mark this high so he has something to prove.

Form: 23-6214

(3)

Oriental Lilly²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: Phil Dennis⁽³⁾| T: J S Goldie| OR: 76| CD

5/2

Progressive filly who has won her last three here and beat a subsequent winner last time. Up another 5lb and hard to rule out another success.

Form: 383-111

(6)

Glorious Politics²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: B A Curtis| T: T D Barron| OR: 75| CD

9/2

Landed a C&D maiden in early 2017 when long odds-on and has failed to add to that since sent handicapping. Much better last time when third behind Oriental Lilly and closely matched with that rival on today's terms.

Form: 1600-63

(4)

Majeste¹⁶⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: Jason Hart| T: Rebecca Bastiman| OR: 75| D

22/1

Considered Pattern class standard as a juvenile and finished fourth in the Champagne Stakes. Failed to progress in his second season and picked up for 17,000 gns in the autumn. Remains to be seen if a change of scenery has perked him up.

Form: 866790-

Forecasts

Oriental Lilly (5/2), Born To Finish (3/1), Heaven's Guest (3/1), Glorious Politics (9/2), Firmdecisions (11/2), Majeste (22/1), Royal Brave (33/1)

ORIENTAL LILLY comes into this on a four-timer and her style of racing has made it hard for the handicapper to assess those performances. As she has the speed to win over 5f she may be less inconvenienced by the lack of a pacemaker in this than will be the case for Born To Finish, Heaven's Guest and Firmdecisions. A bigger threat may come from Glorious Politics whose form has been a mixed bag so far, but he is closely matched with the selection on running here last time.