19:45 Newcastle

Wednesday 17 October 2018

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

188Bet Casino Handicap (Div 1)

Off time: 19:50 | Winning time: 1m 41.7s

(9)

First Flight⁵⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-12| J: Ben Robinson⁽³⁾| T: B Ellison| OR: 77| D

7/1

Has undergone recent wind surgery, but as of yet this hasn't led to an upturn in fortunes; back to his last winning mark.

Form: 114660

(12)

Spray The Sea³²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: T Hamilton| T: R A Fahey| OR: 77| BF

6/1

Won over 1m1f at Hamilton in July (good to firm), but didn't stay over 1m2f here on Ladies Day a few weeks later (5/2f); handicapper possibly has his measure.

Form: 915444

(2)

New Orleans^v¹²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: J Mitchell| T: H Palmer| OR: 76

13/2

Visored when making it 11th time-lucky at Wolverhampton (1m+) 12 days ago; needs to find extra improvement to defy a 6lb higher mark.

Form: 442551

(1)

Lagenda¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: Phil Dennis⁽³⁾| T: L A Mullaney| OR: 73| D

66/1

0-8 on the AW, and below his best since winning on good to soft ground at Haydock (1m) in July; staying on eighth of 13 over 7f here latest, so some hope that the extra yardage will suit.

Form: 619808

(8)

Inner Circle^p²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: C J McGovern⁽³⁾| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 72

11/4

1-25, but not fully exposed on the AW (0-2); on the premises when finishing fifth of 13 to War Department over 7f here recently, and a runner up on turf at Musselburgh on Monday.

Form: 365252

(11)

Valentino Boy¹⁶⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Josephine Gordon| T: H Bethell| OR: 71| D

33/1

Prominent racer who was beaten a nose by Rock Warbler over 7f here in September 2017 (when with Brian Ellison); sole start since came when finishing last of 14 at Pontefract (1m, soft) in May; risky.

Form: 21452-0

(7)

Newmarket Warrior^p⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-6| J: Jamie Gormley⁽³⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 71| CD

5/1

Broke his duck on turf at Ayr in September (1m, soft) when beating Silvery Moon by a nose; respectable fifth of 15 at Pontefract (1m) last week, and should appreciate the switch back to Tapeta.

Form: 545415

(10)

Shearian¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 9-4| J: D Nolan| T: D Carroll| OR: 69| D

150/1

Finished last in each of his last three racecourse appearances (1m-1m2f), so precious little reason to expect a revival.

Form: 057060

(6)

Traveller^t³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: Cam Hardie| T: A Brittain| OR: 68

40/1

Reasonable 7f-1m AW form for previous trainer Charles Hills in 2017, but 0-3 for this trainer since being acquired for 20,000gns in October 2017; 7lb lower than for his last AW start (February).

Form: 229-990

(4)

Stanley²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-2| J: G Lee| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 67| D

11/1

Three-time turf winner (1m-1m2f), and seemingly ideally suited by some give underfoot; 0-2 for this trainer since leaving the care of Jonjo O'Neill; AW debut.

Form: 4223-60

(5)

Planetaria^p²²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: Callum Rodriguez| T: Miss J A Camacho| OR: 66| D

11/1

12-race AW maiden; runner up over an extended mile at Wolverhampton in August, and has claims on the strength of that effort, but didn't appear to get home over this stiffer mile on his next start (finished seventh of 13 to Little Jo).

Form: 403273

(3)

Im Dapper Too^p1¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-0| J: S H James| T: J J Davies| OR: 65| D

10/1

Rattled off a hat-trick on turf in the summer of 2017 (1m-1m1f), and has fallen back to his last winning mark; beaten a head (25-1 into 12-1) by Mudawwan over 7f here in September; cheekpieces now applied.

Form: 0-66832

Forecasts

Inner Circle (11/4), Newmarket Warrior (5/1), Spray The Sea (6/1), New Orleans (13/2), First Flight (7/1), Im Dapper Too (10/1), Stanley (11/1), Planetaria (11/1), Valentino Boy (33/1), Traveller (40/1), Lagenda (66/1), Shearian (150/1)

A divided 1m handicap which will take some solving. Newmarket Warrior must be produced very late so isn't the easiest to win with as a result, but he finally broke his duck on turf at Ayr last month, has run well since and returns to the Tapeta on a reasonably fair mark all things considered. Im Dapper Too can also prove competitive assuming that the newly applied cheekpieces can help to eke out a fraction more improvement at the age of seven, but a marginal preference is for INNER CIRCLE who has knocked consistently at the door of late (including at Musselburgh on Monday), and is far from fully exposed on the AW.