18:25 Newcastle

Thursday 31 January 2019

All16:0516:4017:1517:5018:2519:0019:3020:00

sunracing.co.uk Handicap

Off time: 18:26 | Winning time: 1m 25.29s

(4)

Reckless Endeavour^p²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: A Mullen| T: T D Barron| OR: 85| D

5/1

Won four times for Ger Lyons but only once for Jamie Osborne and winless for this yard so far. Midfield efforts the last twice not his worst and handicap falls again but others still have stronger claims.

Form: 00907-5

(1)

The Great Wall³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: L Morris| T: M Appleby| OR: 84| D

18/1

Lightly raced for his age but win at Hamilton in July. Long way below par latest at Southwell although in his defence that came after a lengthy absence. Should strip fitter now but big improvement needed.

Form: 46215-8

(5)

Custard The Dragon^v1¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: J Fanning| T: J Mackie| OR: 81| D

12/1

Fibresand specialist (six of seven wins at Southwell) ran well there penultimately before well below that level next here when well fancied but last of five. Visor now tried but always suspect on this surface.

Form: 2995-25

(7)

Portledge^b¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: P J McDonald| T: J D Bethell| OR: 80| CD

3/1

Gained fourth career C&D win and second in four starts last time out when successful by 1L. 2lb rise for that looks very reasonable and looks to have an excellent chance to follow up with majority of rivals holding question marks.

Form: 6010-31

(6)

Deansgate⁵⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-1| J: P Mulrennan| T: Miss J A Camacho| OR: 79| CD

2/1

Gained second C&D success penultimately and ran a respectable race again latest when a close third here off this revised mark. Handicap now probably stretches him to the maximum but should again make a bold bid.

Form: 306213-

(3)

Followthesteps²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: T Hamilton| T: I Furtado| OR: 78

4/1

5f Wolverhampton two-year-old winner returned from 560 days off to finish second there over 7f last time out. First handicap today but seriously unexposed and open to any amount of improvement so very interesting contender.

Form: 61/2

(2)

Malaspina¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 8-13| J: Dayverson De Barros| T: I Furtado| OR: 77| C| D

33/1

Unsuccessful in one start for Dan Skelton over hurdles before retuning to this yard which she won twice with previously. Only beat one home here latest over favoured 1m distance so overall others more appealing.

Form: 47504-4

Forecasts

Deansgate (2/1), Portledge (3/1), Followthesteps (4/1), Reckless Endeavour (5/1), Custard The Dragon (12/1), The Great Wall (18/1), Malaspina (33/1)

PORTLEDGE relishes this C&D as he again advertised when successful last time out and that form looks rock solid with a 2lb rise more than reasonable so he is taken to follow up here. Most feared is highly unexposed Followthesteps who returned from nearly two years off the track to post a strong effort in just his third career start latest. Also shortlisted is Deansgate who like the selection has shown a clear liking for this C&D.