18:15 Newcastle

Wednesday 17 October 2018

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

Bet & Watch At 188bet.co.uk Apprentice Handicap

Off time: 18:19 | Winning time: 1m 14.33s

(10)

Zebulon¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: Callum Rodriguez| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 60| D

10/3

Hasn't run on the AW since April (0-3), and yet to show any aptitude for synthetics; however, is 18lb lower in the weights, so that's an obvious plus; a stiff 6f trip could suit.

Form: 527776

(2)

Rockley Point^b⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-10| J: Sebastian Woods⁽⁵⁾| T: K Scott| OR: 60| D

5/1

Unable to follow up his game Hamilton win (6f, soft) when dropped back to the minimum trip at Ayr latest, but ran well enough in finishing 4½L second to Honey Gg; AW mark (60) and record (1-23) not so alluring.

Form: 922412

(14)

Glorious Rocket^h¹⁷⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: Connor Murtagh⁽³⁾| T: J Hodge| OR: 60| D

20/1

Sole win over 6f (Kempton) as a juvenile for Luca Cumani; but essentially became a disappointment for David Barron; first run for John Hodge off a 175-day absence.

Form: 5407-00

(12)

Me Before You¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: C J McGovern| T: D O'Meara| OR: 60| D

12/1

Hasn't found any improvement since breaking her duck at Ripon (6f, good to firm) in May; consistent enough at her level, but unlikely that she's ready to make her presence felt on AW debut.

Form: 023555

(9)

Hermana Santa¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: Cieren Fallon⁽⁷⁾| T: T D Barron| OR: 60

12/1

Seven-race maiden; just held off a 6lb higher mark at Carlisle (5f, good to soft) in August; fairly modest AW debut over C&D (novice) latest; riders first experience of Newcastle.

Form: 3452-75

(13)

Ganton Par^p1⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Rowan Scott| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 57

12/1

Eight-race maiden; not in the best of form lately and difficult to ascertain his best trip, but he could be aided by a slight drop in the weights and the application of cheekpieces.

Form: 635900

(4)

Black Hambleton¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Harry Russell⁽⁷⁾| T: B Smart| OR: 55| C

16/1

Course winner (7f) in January 2017, but has posted mainly moderate efforts since; offered a fraction more to work with over 6f here recently (form franked - second and third have won since), and a 4lb fall is helpful.

Form: 70-0005

(7)

Ocean Temptress^v³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: Laura Pearson⁽⁷⁾| T: J Ryan| OR: 55| D

33/1

Hasn't kept the best of form since finishing second at Lingfield (6f, good to firm) in July, and is yet to fully convince on the AW (0-7); opposed.

Form: 002069

(1)

Dominannie²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: Paula Muir⁽³⁾| T: R E Barr| OR: 51

50/1

19-race maiden; beaten 9L when a 25/1 runner up to 2/11f Romaana at Catterick (7f novice) on her penultimate start.

Form: 36-9025

(5)

Campion^h¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Patrick Pilley| T: P A Kirby| OR: 52

40/1

5f Bath juvenile winner for Richard Hannon in May 2017 (8/13f); has fallen sharply in the weights (21lb) since joining Phil Kirby for 25,000gns in November 2017; finished seventh of 13 to Supaulette over C&D latest (Black Hambleton fifth).

Form: 434007

(8)

Brendan²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Phil Dennis| T: J S Goldie| OR: 50| C

11/2

Strapping gelding who returns to the AW after starting slowly over 5f at Ayr last month (finished 14th of 20); 4lb higher than when breaking the maiden over 5f here in September; stays 6f; refused to load here (28/09).

Form: 307210

(11)

Ancient Astronaut²³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Ray Dawson⁽⁵⁾| T: K Thornton| OR: 50| D

13/2

Won three-times on turf for former handler John Quinn, and was off the mark on Tapeta at Wolverhampton (6f) in August when beating John Joiner by 1½L; 5lb higher tonight.

Form: 570514

(6)

Invinsible²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: Andrew Breslin⁽⁵⁾| T: K H Clarke| OR: 50

66/1

22/1 when finishing eighth of 11 to Twilight on handicap debut at Hamilton (6f, soft) in September; first start on the AW for a County Meath trainer saddling his first ever Newcastle runner.

Form: 7498

(3)

Danish Duke²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 8-12| J: Ben Robinson| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 48| D

16/1

Stablemate of top-weight Zebulon; hasn't won since August 2017 (6f, Thirsk) and much lower in the weights as a result; slowly away and a keeping on 4L fourth to Sir Derrick at Redcar (6f, good) last month.

Form: 784044

Forecasts

Zebulon (10/3), Rockley Point (5/1), Brendan (11/2), Ancient Astronaut (13/2), Hermana Santa (12/1), Ganton Par (12/1), Me Before You (12/1), Black Hambleton (16/1), Danish Duke (16/1), Glorious Rocket (20/1), Ocean Temptress (33/1), Campion (40/1), Dominannie (50/1), Invinsible (66/1)

Irish raider Ancient Astronaut, the strapping Brendan and the higher weighted (on the AW) Rockley Point bring the strongest recent form into this very winnable looking 6f handicap, but equally each of those horses have their respective flaws in the context of tonight's race. Therefore, at more rewarding odds we'll take a chance with BLACK HAMBLETON. This 7f course winner showed more of a spark when finishing fifth over C&D recently, and that form has been franked since with both the runner up Duke Cosimo and the third Carlovian winning since. Another horse worthy of each-way consideration is the Ruth Carr-trained Danish Duke.