19:20 Newcastle

Monday 3 September 2018

All17:2017:5018:2018:5019:2019:5020:20

Spa At Ramside Live The Lifestyle Handicap

Off time: 19:24 | Winning time: 1m 39.42s

(6)

Rey Loopy⁶⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: G Lee| T: B Haslam| OR: 75| CD

6/1

All three of his wins have come at this track (7f-1m), but he remains 6lb above his last winning mark and has plenty of questions to answer after breaking a blood vessel (pulled up) here in June.

Form: 212-10P

(2)

Thello²⁰⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-9| J: Phil Dennis⁽³⁾| T: J S Goldie| OR: 75| CD

40/1

Newcastle regular (1m-1m2f); 5-16 on the AW, but high enough in the weights at present and with fitness to prove on his return from a 207-day absence.

Form: 6261-09

(7)

Alexandrakollontai^b¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 9-8| J: Connor Murtagh⁽⁵⁾| T: A C Whillans| OR: 74| CD

28/1

Not always the easiest to predict, but handles Tapeta and ended a long losing streak when winning over 1m at Haydock (good to firm) last month; possible trip excuse latest, but others are preferred.

Form: 842316

(13)

Sooqaan²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-6| J: Cam Hardie| T: A Brittain| OR: 72| D

66/1

Much stronger on the AW than on turf (rated 24lb higher on synthetics), but arrives out of form and probably will prove best suited to making a return to Fibresand at Southwell over the forthcoming months.

Form: 779058

(4)

Little Jo^p¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: Callum Rodriguez⁽³⁾| T: B Ellison| OR: 71| CD

10/11

Major improver (since wind surgery), and arrives seeking a hat-trick after 1m turf wins at Pontefract and Newmarket; up 7lb, but handles Tapeta (C&D winner), with his trainer also saddling a double here on Friday; key player.

Form: 671-211

(8)

Amood⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: A Elliott| T: S G West| OR: 71| C| D

14/1

In fair shape of late on turf at Carlisle (1m), and has run well from higher AW marks than this in the past (7f course winner); couldn't be ruled out from a handy mid-pack draw.

Form: 701524

(9)

Newmarket Warrior^p⁴¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: Jamie Gormley⁽³⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 71| CD

8/1

Enigmatic character who needs the cards to drop his way (best delivered as late as possible), but as a triple C&D winner who is competing from his last winning mark, is more than capable of making his mark.

Form: 421545

(3)

War Department^v²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: J Fanning| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 70| C

12/1

Yet to score beyond 7f in 41 career starts, so is essentially vulnerable over this trip. However, he now sits 21lb lower than when winning a 7f Class 2 handicap here in June 2017, so there are some other obvious positives.

Form: 962258

(10)

Launceston Place³⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: B A Curtis| T: H Spiller| OR: 73

12/1

Nine-race maiden who should find this company much more realistic than at Ascot in July (Class 3), but still has stamina to prove beyond 7f.

Form: 304277

(11)

Whitkirk³²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: J Garritty| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 67| D

14/1

Races off the same mark as when winning on seasonal reappearance at Thirsk (1m, good to firm) in May, but has proved to be mainly disappointing since; 0-3 on the AW at Newcastle.

Form: 0-10674

(1)

Planetaria^p¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: C J McGovern⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss J A Camacho| OR: 67| D

20/1

Remains an AW maiden (0-11), with the bulk of his best efforts on turf at Redcar (1m); that said, he evidently handles Tapeta (has C&D previous with Alexandrakollontai in November 2016); handicapped to have a say.

Form: 6-54032

(14)

Symbolic Star^p³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: Patrick Vaughan⁽⁵⁾| T: F P Murtagh| OR: 66| CD

66/1

Four-time course winner (7f-1m), but has lost his way since scoring in early January; wind surgery yet to prove beneficial, and difficult to imagine that he's ready to make an impact just yet.

Form: 7-15000

(5)

Shazzab^p¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: P Hanagan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 70| D

33/1

Unexposed on the AW (0-1) and back to a handy mark which she has already proved capable of competing off in soft ground nurseries last back-end; market a helpful guide.

Form: 17-5590

Non-Runners

(12)

Westward Ho¹⁷

Weight: 9-5| Age: 5

T: J D Bethell J: P J McDonald

Forecasts

Little Jo (10/11), Rey Loopy (6/1), Newmarket Warrior (8/1), War Department (12/1), Launceston Place (12/1), Amood (14/1), Whitkirk (14/1), Westward Ho (16/1), Planetaria (20/1), Alexandrakollontai (28/1), Shazzab (33/1), Thello (40/1), Symbolic Star (66/1), Sooqaan (66/1)

The bulk of the field have been Newcastle regulars since the introduction of Tapeta at Gosforth Park, with the likes of Newmarket Warrior and Symbolic Star either multiple course or C&D winners. Many of those in the line-up will prove stronger as the nights draw in and more regular AW racing resumes, so we'll focus on those in the best form at present for the solution. Amood has a handy mid-pack draw, whilst Planetaria is handicapped to have a say. Shazzab could prove interesting if attracting market support, but LITTLE JO appears to be a vastly improved horse for wind surgery and should land the hat-trick for in-form Malton trainer Brian Ellison.