17:50 Newcastle

Saturday 29 June 2019

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:1517:50

Betfair Casino Always A Chance Handicap

Off time: 17:52 | Winning time: 2m 12.12s

(1)

Anythingtoday^p²³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: S De Sousa| T: D O'Meara| OR: 87| BF| D

9/2

Has taken advantage of an ease in the weights/drop in grade in recent weeks, running consistently well at Ripon (1m1f-1m4f), including when fourth to stablemate Fayez on his penultimate start; holds every chance.

Form: 00-4042

(6)

Bobby K^p²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: Kerrin McEvoy| T: S & E Crisford| OR: 87| D

17/2

A three-time AW scorer (Polytrack/Fibresand); has proved broadly disappointing so far this season; eased 4lb in the weights since finishing just over 3L fourth of eight to Bowerman here (1m) in April.

Form: 121-4P5

(3)

Lawmaking^b⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Jason Watson| T: M Scudamore| OR: 82| C

4/1

4lb higher than when forging clear to win over the straight mile here on Ladies Day last July; does stay this trip as he demonstrated when finishing 2L second to Lunar Jet at Newmarket (good to firm) last month.

Form: 4-54203

(5)

Howman³³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: R Varian| OR: 81

6/4

Lightly-raced Sea The Stars gelding (450,000gns yearling); off the track since finishing a weakening fifth in a 1m3f Class 3 handicap at Glorious Goodwood last August having won his previous two starts over 1m1f; AW debut.

Form: 36117-

(9)

Time Change⁴²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: B A Curtis| T: R M Beckett| OR: 80| D

10/1

Won from this mark when taking a 1m2f Class 3 fillies' handicap at Salisbury (good to firm) in May 2018; only reappeared at Newbury in April, so it's feasible that a couple of runs may have blown away the cobwebs; AW debut.

Form: 40/31-94

(10)

Thaayer^t⁹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: Alistair Rawlinson| T: R Menzies| OR: 80| C

16/1

Took the scalp of Matterhorn when winning on debut for Rebecca Menzies here (1m) last November; easy to back when a fraction below par (just behind Lawmaking) on handicap debut in March; tackles a new trip.

Form: 331-6

(2)

Rose Tinted Spirit²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: L Morris| T: Karen McLintock| OR: 78| CD

16/1

Well backed (into 7/2f) when winning readily over C&D (Class 5) last October; took a predictable hike in the weights for that 5L success; has proved less competitive since; should strip fitter for his Musselburgh comeback run.

Form: 61419-6

(4)

Eye of The Storm⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 9-0| J: P J McDonald| T: C R Dore| OR: 75

28/1

With Keith Dalgleish when finishing a close third here (1m4f) in a competitive Class 2 handicap in March 2018; is plenty lower in the weights nowadays; winner of a 1m4f Leicester seller (good to firm) in May; second start for Conor Dore.

Form: 0-86716

(7)

Windsor Cross⁴³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: P Hanagan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 75| C| D

12/1

Kept on well at the finish when beaten approximately 1L over 7f here in March, and hit the frame over an extended mile at Hamilton latest; sits on his last winning mark - made all at Ripon (1m2f, good) in August 2018.

Form: 17-4763

Non-Runners

(8)

Irish Minister³

Weight: 8-6| Age: 4

T: D Thompson J: A Elliott

Forecasts

Howman (6/4), Lawmaking (4/1), Anythingtoday (9/2), Bobby K (17/2), Time Change (10/1), Windsor Cross (12/1), Thaayer (16/1), Rose Tinted Spirit (16/1), Eye of The Storm (28/1), Irish Minister (33/1)

Thursday was a difficult day for the Varian/Atzeni combination but the pair will be hopeful of concluding the 2019 Northumberland Plate Festival with a winner courtesy of the unexposed Howman who has proved most productive when allowed to force the early pace. However, he mightn't have things all his own way with the likes of Time Change and Windsor Cross both racing from winning marks, and Lawmaking, Thaayer and Rose Tinted Spirit all being previous Newcastle scorers. However, we'll take a chance on the top-weight ANYTHINGTODAY who is probably a fraction better than a Class 4 handicapper, and has been running well in defeat at Ripon of late.