18:15 Newcastle

Wednesday 19 December 2018

All15:2015:5516:3017:0517:4018:1518:4519:15

Follow Top Tipster Templegate At Sunracing Handicap

Off time: 18:18 | Winning time: 1m 27.16s

(6)

Athollblair Boy¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: Faye McManoman⁽⁷⁾| T: N Tinkler| OR: 77| CD

4/1

3-11 on the AW with 6f-7f course form between September 2017 and March 2018 reading 132121; ran very well (sixth) on return from a four-month absence in Class 3 company latest; key player.

Form: 536606

(2)

Dirchill^b¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Jason Hart| T: D Thompson| OR: 75

28/1

Left David Barron for £9,000 in September, shortly after winning at Redcar (6f, good to firm); yet to necessarily click on the AW just yet (0-3) but should prove capable of winning more races with time.

Form: 318887

(9)

Secretinthepark^p¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 9-6| J: J P Fahy| T: M Mullineaux| OR: 74| C| D

33/1

Broke a long losing sequence when scoring over 6f here in September (gamely beat Mutabaahy by a neck); remains 4lb higher; making his first appearance over 7f since September 2014.

Form: 423108

(10)

Rich Again^p²⁷⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 9-6| J: Josephine Gordon| T: J D Bethell| OR: 74| C| D

40/1

Not won since January 2017 when recording back-to-back 5f course successes; extremely vulnerable over this trip on his first start for 274 days; look elsewhere.

Form: 969-370

(1)

Rey Loopy⁴²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: G Lee| T: B Haslam| OR: 74| CD

11/2

Three-time winner at this track (7f-1m); still 5lb above his last winning mark (March 2018) and that's probably the major barrier to further success at present.

Form: 10P275

(7)

The British Lion³⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: P J McDonald| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 71| CD

8/1

C&D winner from a 2lb higher mark in January; entitled to have needed the run at Kempton (7f) last month (his first since June); certainly couldn't be dismissed with overall course form figures reading 241.

Form: 458556

(8)

Bobby Joe Leg¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: J P Sullivan| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 70| C

16/1

Not the most consistent of horses, but is fully capable on this surface on his day (6f-7f); 3lb higher than when beaten a head by Zafaranah at Wolverhampton (7f) in November.

Form: 608020

(3)

Etikaal^p¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: J Mitchell| T: Grant Tuer| OR: 68| CD

7/1

Sprung a 40/1 shock when beating Somewhere Secret (runs in the 5.40pm race) over C&D 19 days ago; 5lb higher in the weights with obvious question marks as to whether or not he can reproduce that level of form.

Form: 006001

(11)

Harvest Day^t²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Nathan Evans| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 68| D

9/2

Beaten just ½L by Portledge (third placed Tukhoom runs in the 5.40pm race) over C&D last month prior to another reasonable effort over 1m latest; high enough in the weights overall, albeit recent wind surgery has clearly helped.

Form: 148427

(5)

Gun Case^v¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 8-10| J: Barry McHugh| T: A C Whillans| OR: 64| CD

13/2

Three-time C&D winner who was spotted finishing well (third) behind Etikaal here last month; 1lb lower in the weights, so every chance that he'll be knocking on the door.

Form: 524793

(4)

Chosen World^p⁴⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: C J McGovern⁽³⁾| T: Miss J A Camacho| OR: 58| CD

5/1

Narrow winner (by a head) in first-time cheekpieces over C&D (Class 6) last month; a minimal rise in the weights gives him a shout (1-5 on the AW), with the caveat that he faces slightly stronger rivals tonight.

Form: 860431

Forecasts

Athollblair Boy (4/1), Harvest Day (9/2), Chosen World (5/1), Rey Loopy (11/2), Gun Case (13/2), Etikaal (7/1), The British Lion (8/1), Bobby Joe Leg (16/1), Dirchill (28/1), Secretinthepark (33/1), Rich Again (40/1)

Another open handicap, in which the course specialist Gun Case is fancied to reverse placings with conqueror Etikaal, with any sort of positive showing from Somewhere Secret (5.40pm) also serving to further strengthen his claims. The upped in grade Chosen World is respected, along with The British Lion who has pleasing Newcastle form figures of 241. However, the selection comes from the other end of the weights with the top-weight ATHOLLBLAIR BOY of significant interest after a rock-solid reappearance effort in Class 3 company. This Newcastle regular rates as a key player with 7lb claimer Faye McManoman on top.