14:30 Newcastle

Tuesday 5 March 2019

All14:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:30

Parklands Driving Range Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:30 | Winning time: 6m 10.20s

Newberry New²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: C R King| T: H Bethell| OR: 108

8/1

Without a win for over 14-months - when teaming up with the Champion Jockey Richard Johnson at Wetherby (2m3f, soft); strongest over a shorter trip and despite being feasibly handicapped that makes him vulnerable.

Form: 323-656

Gars Bar Dine²⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Blair Campbell⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 108

13/2

20-race maiden, although in all fairness hasn't been with Lucinda Russell for too long and has only raced once over the larger obstacles when finishing 13¾L fourth of eight to Glittering Love (3m Ayr; soft) - lost both back shoes.

Form: 09/4-854

Whiskey Chaser^v⁸²

Age: 11| Weight: 11-11| J: Theo Gillard⁽⁷⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 107| D

20/1

4-22 over fences; finished a distant runner-up to Ascot De Bruyere in atrocious conditions over C&D in April 2018; 2lb lower than when reappearing at this track in mid-December (fifth).

Form: 56632-5

Chase The Wind^t⁵³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-11| J: Sean Quinlan| T: Miss J E Foster| OR: 107

3/1

Has predictably taken time to regain his match fitness after a 27-month break from racing. However, that has aided his handicap mark immeasurably and but for an improving winner, he would've taken advantage at Sedgefield (3m2f) latest.

Form: 15/6562

Astracad^t¹⁶

Age: 13| Weight: 11-8| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 104

4/1

Veteran who was fully capable of disposing of this level of opponent in his prime; still retains the zest for racing having finished in the frame in three of his four starts this season; fair to say that he doesn't do anything quickly.

Form: 7-P2F32

Iskabeg Lane⁶⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 100| BF

11/4

His sole win (1-15) came over an extended 2m5f at Market Rasen in December 2017; one of the probable pace-setters in this race (can often run in snatches); no problems whatsoever with the forecast conditions.

Form: F5-6343

Royal Salute⁴⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley| OR: 100

16/1

Recent form figures not overly inspiring; appreciates some give underfoot and now a full 14lb lower than when scoring for Anthony Honeyball at Plumpton (3m1f+) in January 2017.

Form: P-5F250

Forever Dylan^p¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 90

10/1

13-race maiden; has fallen 5lb in the weights since finishing 25L fifth of ten to Shaiyzar (3m2f, good) at Sedgefield 12-days ago; could be sharper on his second start for this yard (off the track since October 2017 prior to that run).

Form: 95030-5

Bertielicious^p,h¹²

Age: 11| Weight: 10-0| J: Thomas Dowson⁽³⁾| T: J C Haynes| OR: 62

200/1

42-race maiden (0-17 over fences); holds very little chance whatsoever from a whopping 20lb out of the handicap.

Form: 6543P7

Forecasts

Iskabeg Lane (11/4), Chase The Wind (3/1), Astracad (4/1), Gars Bar Dine (13/2), Newberry New (8/1), Forever Dylan (10/1), Royal Salute (16/1), Whiskey Chaser (20/1), Bertielicious (200/1)

Difficult to pin-point the likeliest winner, although it certainly won't be the 42-race maiden Bertielicious who competes from a whopping 20lb out of the handicap. Iskabeg Lane needs including on the short-list in a race which lacks any real strength in-depth, and the same can be said about the Newcastle regular Whiskey Chaser. However, for small stakes the preferred option is the Joanne Foster-trained CHASE THE WIND. Although ultimately no match for the Christian Williams-trained Sideways (has run respectably in a Class 3 handicap since) at Sedgefield in January, he finished best of the rest and that was his strongest form since scoring at Wetherby in May 2016.