19:15 Newcastle

Friday 9 March 2018

All17:4518:1518:4519:1519:4520:1520:45

Sunbets On The App Store Handicap (Div 2)

Off time: 19:16 | Winning time: 1m 40.64s

(3)

Bollihope^v1²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: Connor Beasley| T: R C Guest| OR: 61| BF| C

5/1

Solid at this track, but generally over a longer trip (1m2f). No chance in the farcical contest won by stablemate Outlaw Torn here last month, so effectively this rates as his first chance to show his worth since a wind operation.

Form: 78457-4

(8)

Make On Madam²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Jane Elliott⁽⁵⁾| T: J L Eyre| OR: 60| D

12/1

Fairly reliable on the whole during her career, but not at her sharpest last summer on turf. Made a modest return to action at Lingfield last month, but dropped 5lb since, and that's helpful.

Form: 64868-7

(2)

Celtic Artisan^t²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-6| J: P J McDonald| T: R Menzies| OR: 59| D

7/1

Strongest at Chelmsford, but also effective elsewhere, as demonstrated over C&D three starts back when beaten ½L by Limoncello. Not so good since, but now 3lb lower than for that pleasing effort.

Form: 473-268

(9)

Lucky Violet^h¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 9-4| J: J Fanning| T: Miss L A Perratt| OR: 57

20/1

Kept on strongly when winning a 7f Musselburgh fillies handicap for Iain Jardine in August 2016, but was off for 14 months thereafter. Dismal on both starts for this trainer and in free-fall in the weights.

Form: 1/855-00

(6)

Ravenhoe⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: Oliver Stammers⁽⁷⁾| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 54| D

11/4

Kept busy lately, and given a good ride by this pilot when scoring at Lingfield last week (1m). Subsequently beaten 4L by Outlaw Torn at Chelmsford (1m2f), but remains ahead of the handicapper, and is possibly ideally suited by this trip.

Form: 912412

(5)

Cookie Ring^t⁵¹

Age: 7| Weight: 8-13| J: Faye McManoman⁽⁷⁾| T: L A Mullaney| OR: 52| D

9/2

Effective over a range of trips (7f to 1m1f), but this is probably his optimum these days as he demonstrated when winning at Kempton (November) and Chelmsford (December). Runner up over C&D latest, and should be on the premises.

Form: 4151-92

(10)

Dream Free^p⁹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-12| J: P Hanagan| T: M Walford| OR: 51

8/1

15-race career maiden who had a spin over hurdles at Sedgefield in early December (pulled up). Reverts back to the Flat following a three month break appearing to be very exposed.

Form: 378443-

(4)

Highwayman^h²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-10| J: A Mullen| T: D Thompson| OR: 49

14/1

Has tried various headgear, yet he remains an 18-race maiden. Drops back to 1m for the first time since April 2016, having finished just over 1L second to Outlaw Torn at Chelmsford (1m2f) on his penultimate start.

Form: 808-627

(11)

Optima Petamus^p⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 8-8| J: Paula Muir⁽⁷⁾| T: P Holmes| OR: 47| D

10/1

Not beaten all that far over 1m2f here last month when finishing third to Ghostly Arc. However, he's another who doesn't tend to win races (1 from 28 career), and for that reason can be taken on despite a slipping mark.

Form: 56-3933

(12)

Rossington^h²⁰²

Age: 9| Weight: 8-7| J: J P Sullivan| T: J S Wainwright| OR: 45

50/1

No worthwhile form over hurdles at Market Rasen last summer, and he broke a blood vessel on his latest start in mid-August. Far from a Flat regular, and this looks an opportunity to bring him on from that setback.

Form: 004777/

(1)

Lesanti^p³⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: Georgia Cox⁽³⁾| T: E De Giles| OR: 45

16/1

Quick turnaround after another moderate effort at Kempton last week (7f), but ran okay on Tapeta at Wolverhampton prior to that. A 16-race maiden who could pop up somewhere at some stage, but not overly convincing on balance.

Form: 8880-40

(7)

Madakheel²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 8-7| J: Phil Dennis⁽³⁾| T: S G West| OR: 45

33/1

17-race maiden who has shown nothing in five starts since returning from a 21-month absence in December. Next to no chance, despite the lowly grade of the race.

Form: 9/00-659

Forecasts

Ravenhoe (11/4), Cookie Ring (9/2), Bollihope (5/1), Celtic Artisan (7/1), Dream Free (8/1), Optima Petamus (10/1), Make On Madam (12/1), Highwayman (14/1), Lesanti (16/1), Lucky Violet (20/1), Madakheel (33/1), Rossington (50/1)

A race which is even less appealing than Division 1 half an hour earlier, but at least plenty of these can be scratched from the equation. Cookie Ring is reliable, and probably most guaranteed to give his running, so has to figure in the places at least. Bollihope is best over 1m2f, but we've not really had the chance to see what a wind operation has done for him, so he's entertained, whilst Celtic Artisan has a chance if bettering his latest couple of efforts. However, RAVENHOE rates as the obvious winner, still sitting 3lb ahead of the handicapper. He's advertised the talents of Oliver Stammers recently and should appreciate dropping back in trip to 1m tonight.