17:10 Newcastle

Wednesday 17 October 2018

All17:1017:4518:1518:4519:1519:4520:1520:45

188Bet Extra Place Races Handicap

Off time: 17:10 | Winning time: 3m 37.78s

(7)

Forbidding^t,v⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: A Mullen| T: J Butler| OR: 57| CD

3/1

Gained his first career win when scoring narrowly over C&D in July (12/1); less effective on turf since, albeit with his latest couple of efforts coming on soft ground over marathon trips at Pontefract.

Form: 518759

(14)

Palermo^t⁴²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: Josephine Gordon| T: M Wigham| OR: 57

33/1

Half-brother to the winning hurdler Thomas Hobson; up markedly in trip for handicap debut after a trio of modest efforts in AW median auction maidens (1m-1m4f); market a guide.

Form: 0-64

(11)

Unite The Clans^h²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: J Fanning| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 55

28/1

Well travelled having raced in the UAE for Satish Seemar, and in Ireland for various trainers; 0-4 for Keith Dalgleish and difficult to know whether or not he'll stay this trip; unappealing.

Form: 098080

(13)

St Andrews^b⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-10| J: Oliver Stammers⁽⁷⁾| T: G Boanas| OR: 55| D

7/1

Poor strike-rate (1-33), but regularly competitive for the places at least from this sort of mark; his best recent effort came when finishing just under 2L second to Question of Faith at Catterick (1m6f) in September.

Form: 333245

(4)

Archibelle¹¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Nathan Evans| T: R M Smith| OR: 54| CD

14/1

Twice failed to get home over 1m7f on turf at Ayr in June, but her earlier AW form is more pertinent is assessing her chances; 5lb higher than when beating Navajo Star by 1¾L over C&D in February (Class 6).

Form: 812479

(1)

Moans Cross^p²²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Poppy Bridgwater⁽⁵⁾| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 53

5/1

Ten-race maiden who has filled the frame on his last three AW starts (all over 2m), including when beaten over 4L by a progressive pair at Lingfield last month; rare runner for this trainer at Newcastle (0-2).

Form: 287333

(2)

Elite Icon⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Jamie Gormley⁽³⁾| T: J S Goldie| OR: 53

18/1

Winner for Iain Jardine on heavy ground at Carlisle (1m6f) in September 2017, but didn't kick on in the early part of 2018; 22/1 when finishing ninth of 16 on debut for Jim Goldie at Ayr (1m5f) last week.

Form: 41-3799

(6)

Glasgon²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 9-5| J: Jason Hart| T: R Craggs| OR: 50| C

12/1

Course winner (1m4f); sits on a workable mark assuming that he stays this extra yardage; Southwell winner on his penultimate start, and shaped adequately when a close up fourth to Highway Robber (1m4f+) here last month.

Form: 0/4-9514

(9)

Oromo^p,t⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: Ray Dawson⁽⁵⁾| T: K Thornton| OR: 49| BF

5/1

28-race maiden (0-6 on the AW); raced mainly over hurdles of late, but couldn't be dismissed based on his staying on third to Schoolboy Error at Dundalk (1m4f) in April; eye-catching jockey booking; market a guide.

Form: 099530

(5)

Highway Robber^h,t¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: Paula Muir⁽⁵⁾| T: W Storey| OR: 48| BF| C

11/1

2lb higher than when winning over 1m4f+ here in September (Glasgon 2L back in fourth), but was a beaten favourite on turf at Catterick latest; placed over C&D off a 5lb higher mark in July 2017.

Form: 755216

(3)

Adrakhan^t⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 9-1| J: Andrew Breslin⁽⁵⁾| T: W Storey| OR: 45| D

100/1

Stablemate of Highway Robber; very low-key since a shock 40/1 second placed finish at Catterick (2m good to firm) in August; 0-6 on the AW, including when a tailed off last of 12 over 1m4f here in September 2017.

Form: 382940

(8)

Dizoard¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 9-1| J: Callum Rodriguez| T: I Jardine| OR: 45

40/1

27-race maiden; her sole experience of racing on the AW was when finishing ninth of 11 to Banff (Highway Robber third) over C&D in July 2017; unlikely.

Form: 89-3368

(12)

Jaycols Star^b²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: K Stott| T: P A Kirby| OR: 51

12/1

12-race maiden; 50/1 and blinkered for AW debut over 1m4f+ here last month when finishing a staying on fifth of 13 to Highway Robber (beaten in excess of 2L).

Form: 076-605

(10)

No Civil Justice^h1²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-7| J: Cam Hardie| T: D Thompson| OR: 45

200/1

Six-race maiden with a much discussed official rating of 1; hooded for his first attempt beyond 1m2f; holds very little chance whatsoever.

Form: 8-05009

Forecasts

Forbidding (3/1), Oromo (5/1), Moans Cross (5/1), St Andrews (7/1), Highway Robber (11/1), Glasgon (12/1), Jaycols Star (12/1), Archibelle (14/1), Elite Icon (18/1), Unite The Clans (28/1), Palermo (33/1), Dizoard (40/1), Adrakhan (100/1), No Civil Justice (200/1)

Finding a strong selection in this low-grade 2m contest is akin to searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack, so stakes are best played at the minimum. Highway Robber makes the shortlist in the hope that the early pace is steady, and he can prove that he stays this trip (handles the course effectively). However, the intriguing horse is the Irish runner OROMO. Useful 5lb claimer Ray Dawson is booked to ride this 28-race maiden who hasn't seen too much Flat action of late, but is undoubtedly far less exposed on the AW and in with a definite shout in a race this weak judged upon his fair effort at Dundalk (1m4f) in April.