15:55 Newcastle

Friday 19 April 2019

All13:4014:1014:4515:2015:5516:2516:55

Betway Live Casino Handicap

Off time: 15:55 | Winning time: 2m 39.71s

(3)

Desert Fire⁵⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: P Cosgrave| T: S bin Suroor| OR: 100| BF

7/2

Progressive colt who performed well at Meydan earlier this year. Makes his AW debut and steps up from 1m2f so has questions to answer. Respected nevertheless.

Form: 411-123

(12)

Island Brave²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Scott McCullagh⁽⁷⁾| T: H Main| OR: 100| CD

6/1

Hampered when second past the post and awarded this race a year ago. Has to cope with 5lb higher mark, but shaped well on return to action at Kempton and has fair prospects.

Form: 55810-4

(4)

Buzz¹⁵¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Charlie Bennett| T: H Morrison| OR: 99| BF| D

16/1

Successful three times last year, including twice on the AW at Kempton. On career-high mark and needs to show he can act on this surface, but dangerous to dismiss.

Form: 116152-

(10)

Baghdad³⁰²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: P J McDonald| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 98| D

7/1

Improved markedly in three starts last season, rounding off with victory in a valuable handicap at Royal Ascot. That form has been franked several times and this Group 2 entrant has to be a player off 8lb higher given he has an AW success on his CV.

Form: 041/311-

(11)

Seamour⁵⁴⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 9-3| J: Ben Robinson⁽³⁾| T: B Ellison| OR: 96| D

66/1

Good form in his prime, but has not been sighted since 2017. Handicap mark is fair, but it takes a leap in faith to expect him to win such a competitive race after his lay-off.

Form: 223004/

(6)

Al Hamdany⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: G Mosse| T: M Botti| OR: 96| D

22/1

Fourth to Island Brave in this race last year, he went close to making a winning reappearance following a long absence when a head second at Kempton recently. Keen enough that day and may be more amenable with the freshness knocked out of him.

Form: 43402-2

(5)

Bartholomeu Dias¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: C Hills| OR: 94| D

18/1

Rounded off last season with victory at Wolverhampton and recent return to action at that venue was satisfactory. Career-high mark a cause for concern, but has each-way claims.

Form: 25331-2

(13)

Shailene²¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: William Cox⁽³⁾| T: A M Balding| OR: 94| BF

28/1

Good record of 2-3 on AW surfaces last year, but has not been sighted since finishing down the field on soft ground at Chester in September. Better expected back on the AW with stable going great guns.

Form: 142137-

(14)

Forbidden Planet²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: Thomas Greatrex⁽⁵⁾| T: H & R Charlton| OR: 93

3/1

Career-best display when comfortably landing a valuable prize at Kempton last time. Up 7lb, but may not have stopped improving and needs to be taken seriously.

Form: 52-1121

(8)

Lady Bergamot¹⁹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 8-13| J: George Wood| T: J R Fanshawe| OR: 92| C| D

25/1

Two wins in handicap company, one of them on the AW, last year, but signed off with a disappointing effort at Newmarket. Down 1lb and is better than that, but stable has yet to hit form this season.

Form: 217510-

(9)

Big Kitten¹⁴⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: Jim Crowley| T: W J Haggas| OR: 91| C

5/1

Having only his sixth run when winning a 1m2f handicap at this venue in the autumn. Has been gelded and has not run since, but is respected upped in trip off 6lb higher.

Form: 222/171-

(2)

Showroom¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: S De Sousa| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 90

20/1

Maiden and novice wins were separated by over nine months and he was making his seasonal reappearance and handicap debut after being gelded when fourth of 11 on turf at Leicester earlier this month. Unexposed and enters calculations.

Form: 1/1-4

(7)

Ashington^p²³⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: Jason Hart| T: J & S Quinn| OR: 90| D

40/1

Won twice on turf and was progressive last summer when trained by Luca Cumani. First run for this stable after quite a long absence and AW record is not as good as on grass.

Form: 221412-

(1)

Daawy¹⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 8-10| J: B A Curtis| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 89

66/1

Won three times on turf for this stable after joining the yard last September, but finished last of nine over this C&D on his final start of the year in November. That first AW display leaves him with something to prove.

Form: 011139-

Forecasts

Forbidden Planet (3/1), Desert Fire (7/2), Big Kitten (5/1), Island Brave (6/1), Baghdad (7/1), Buzz (16/1), Bartholomeu Dias (18/1), Showroom (20/1), Al Hamdany (22/1), Lady Bergamot (25/1), Shailene (28/1), Ashington (40/1), Daawy (66/1), Seamour (66/1)

With excellent prize money on offer, it is no surprise to see a competitive race and one in which recent impressive Kempton scorer Forbidden Planet is sure to be popular with punters. However, he has a 7lb rise to cope with and there are a number of promising sorts pitched against him, not least BAGHDAD, who won a competitive handicap at Royal Ascot last June and has an entry in a Group 2 race next month. The selection's stable companion, Showroom, is another likely contender, while the likes of last year's winner Island Brave, Desert Fire, Buzz, Shailene and Big Kitten are sure to have their supporters.