19:40 Newcastle

Thursday 19 April 2018

All17:4018:1018:4019:1019:4020:1520:4521:15

Stephen Nicholson Handicap

Off time: 19:41 | Winning time: 1m 42.15s

(1)

Foxrush Take Time¹⁴⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: P Makin| T: R C Guest| OR: 59

14/1

A ten race maiden who has had plenty of chances, including when a beaten evens favourite at Ffos Las in August 2017 (7f+ good to soft). First start since November 2017.

Form: 330835-

(9)

Hollywood Dream^h¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: D C Costello| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 59

7/1

Delegator filly who is an 11-race maiden and now rated 13lb lower than when first allocated a handicap mark in September 2017. Not beaten all that far when finishing fifth over 1m at Kempton latest.

Form: 60-6475

(11)

Ventura Crest¹⁷⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: P J McDonald| T: T D Easterby| OR: 59

8/1

Not overly consistent, but his best effort so far came when racing alone down the far rail at Redcar in September (1m good to soft) when nailed close home by Echo. 5lb higher here for AW debut.

Form: 468029-

(10)

Global Wonder¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: G Mosse| T: E A L Dunlop| OR: 59

11/2

Not exactly on an upward curve, but more like it over 7f at Wolverhampton latest when a never nearer 1½L fourth to Gainsay. Same rider maintains the mount and this extra furlong could suit.

Form: 994-764

(8)

Lulu Star²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Shelley Birkett⁽³⁾| T: Miss J Feilden| OR: 58

16/1

Finished third on her second career start at Kempton in January (7f), but has failed to progress since and makes no obvious appeal from a falling mark.

Form: 8-3477

(5)

Drover^p1²⁶⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Connor Beasley| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 57

5/1

Showed very little in three quick runs over the course of a month during the summer of 2017 (6f to 7f). Makes his handicap debut in first time cheek-pieces (also gelded) looking very costly currently as a 65,000 gns yearling.

Form: 666-

(3)

Rock On Bertie^p¹²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Lewis Edmunds⁽³⁾| T: N Tinkler| OR: 56| BF

13/2

Gelded since his last start at Southwell in December, this 14-race maiden has posted some reasonable previous efforts at Newcastle, including when beaten 3L by Lord Caprio over 7f in November.

Form: 355237-

(7)

Odds On Oli³⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: T Hamilton| T: R A Fahey| OR: 56| BF

7/2

Consistent over 1m on synthetics, but that's all, and he's now 0 from 10 overall. Beaten just over 4L when finishing fourth to Rude Awakening over C&D in mid March.

Form: 4-23224

(6)

Troop^p²¹²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: G Lee| T: Mrs A Duffield| OR: 53

12/1

Not seen any racecourse action since making his handicap debut over C&D in September (finished 8th of 12), so hard to formulate a logical argument for him in the circumstances.

Form: 8868-

(4)

Furze Lady³⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: Cam Hardie| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 46

25/1

Dick Turpin filly who is a half-sister to Hoofalong. Well beaten on all three outings so far (novice stakes), and goes handicapping for the first time from a basement mark.

Form: 553

Non-Runners

(2)

Molly Mayhem²²

Weight: 8-13| Age: 3

T: R Fell & S Murray J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Odds On Oli (7/2), Drover (5/1), Global Wonder (11/2), Rock On Bertie (13/2), Hollywood Dream (7/1), Ventura Crest (8/1), Troop (12/1), Foxrush Take Time (14/1), Lulu Star (16/1), Molly Mayhem (20/1), Furze Lady (25/1)

A combined total of 79 career starts so far, but not one of the 11 declared runners has managed to hit the target, so this race is effectively a maiden masquerading as a handicap. Global Wonder shaped with encouragement at Wolverhampton latest and is worth a try over a longer trip, whilst this could finally be the day for Odds On Oli. However such is the paucity of opposition, we'll aim a dart at a horse at a bigger price and hope to hit the bulls-eye. DROVER cost plenty, but could have more too offer on the back of three quick turf starts for a handicap mark in the summer of 2017. Gelded, wearing cheek-pieces on AW/Handicap debut, he has far less convictions than most.