14:00 Newcastle

Tuesday 22 October 2019

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:2016:5017:20

Betway Apprentice Handicap

Off time: 14:02 | Winning time: 2m 41.70s

(3)

Imperial Focus⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-11| J: Angus Villiers| T: S Waugh| OR: 59

100/1

27-race maiden; has competed over hurdles for the vast majority of this calendar year; makes absolutely no appeal whatsoever.

Form: 56469-0

(9)

Jan De Heem^v³

Age: 9| Weight: 9-10| J: Rhona Pindar| T: Miss T Jackson| OR: 58| D

14/1

Yet to win on the AW (0-6) but ran a creditable race behind Steel Helmet (fourth) over C&D in June; 3lb higher than when scoring by 1L at Catterick (1m6f, good to firm) last month; place possibilities.

Form: 221355

(10)

Sulafaat^p²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Russell Harris⁽³⁾| T: R Menzies| OR: 55| C

7/2

Placed on each of her last three visits to Newcastle, including when a running on (switched left at the two furlong pole) second to Sashenka in a Class 5 C&D fillies' handicap latest; is entitled to be there or thereabouts.

Form: 502132

(6)

Cormier¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Mr Aiden Blakemore⁽³⁾| T: Stef Keniry| OR: 60

25/1

Ten-race maiden; weakened quickly after forcing a decent pace (finished last of 15) over 1m2f (soft) at Nottingham a fortnight ago; 4lb lower; stablemate of Mamdood.

Form: 627760

(7)

Lyford^p³²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: Corey Madden⁽³⁾| T: A C Whillans| OR: 53

25/1

AW winner for Sylvester Kirk (1m5½f) who didn't cut the mustard over hurdles for Dan Skelton; knocking at the door (fourth) behind Ad Libitum over C&D on his penultimate start; poor since (last of ten); stablemate of Clovenstone.

Form: 214-440

(5)

Yvette^p²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Gavin Ashton⁽³⁾| T: Sir Mark Prescott| OR: 59

6/4

Comfortably held by the winner Sandy Steve but appeared to be slowly getting her act together when runner-up at Kempton (1m3f) three weeks ago; 2lb higher; is fairly closely matched with Sulafaat on earlier C&D form.

Form: 888562

(1)

Gworn⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 9-2| J: Aled Beech| T: R M Smith| OR: 50

33/1

No match for the thriving Kaizer (beaten 7L) over an extended 1m4f at Musselburgh (good to soft) last month; a very similar story back there last week when fourth of 14 to Smart Lass; place claims at best.

Form: 788024

(14)

Mamdood^t,v⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-1| J: Zak Wheatley⁽⁵⁾| T: Stef Keniry| OR: 49

6/1

7f Chelmsford maiden winner for Richard Hannon (November 2016); 0-12 since; upped in trip beyond 1m for the first time when a nearest at the finish third (40-1) to Smart Lass at Musselburgh (1m5f, soft) last week.

Form: 7080-93

(2)

Life Knowledge^v1²³

Age: 7| Weight: 9-1| J: Owen Payton⁽⁷⁾| T: L Bailey| OR: 49| CD

25/1

Both of his wins (2-45) have come over C&D; was racing off a similar mark when beating Don't Do It by 1½L in this very race 12 months ago; struggling for form lately (including over hurdles); visor applied for AW return.

Form: 8-47366

(11)

Clovenstone^v1²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Oliver Stammers⁽³⁾| T: A C Whillans| OR: 55

66/1

Showed a glimmer of promise on debut in a Hamilton maiden (1m+); modest since, including when toiling over the straight mile here four weeks ago; tackles a new trip (has stamina in pedigree) sporting a visor; stablemate of Lyford.

Form: 38500

(13)

Majestic Stone³²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Harry Russell| T: Miss J A Camacho| OR: 48

9/1

A gritty winner at Carlisle (1m3f, soft) in May and has made the frame on four of his last five visits to Newcastle (1m2f-1m4f) - has related form with Sulafaat and Lyford; it's perfectly possible that he'll be competitive.

Form: 449535

(4)

Elysee Star^p²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: Toby Eley| T: M Walford| OR: 47

14/1

21-race maiden with plenty of placed form in the book (including at Newcastle); her stamina reserves (untested) over this 1m4f trip are a major concern; placed over 1m2f at Beverley (soft) four weeks ago.

Form: 476523

(8)

Bannockburn^p1²³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: Ella McCain| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 48

33/1

Six-race maiden with precious little worthwhile form on his CV; finished fifth (Gworn second) to Kaizer at Musselburgh (1m4½f, good to soft) 23 days ago; cheekpieces applied off a career low handicap mark of 48.

Form: 080965

Non-Runners

(12)

Dr Richard Kimble⁸

Weight: 9-12| Age: 4

T: Mrs Marjorie Fife J: Izzy Clifton

Forecasts

Yvette (6/4), Sulafaat (7/2), Mamdood (6/1), Majestic Stone (9/1), Elysee Star (14/1), Jan De Heem (14/1), Cormier (25/1), Life Knowledge (25/1), Lyford (25/1), Gworn (33/1), Bannockburn (33/1), Dr Richard Kimble (33/1), Clovenstone (66/1), Imperial Focus (100/1)

The All Weather Championships Series 7 gets underway with a whimper with a Class 6 Apprentices' Handicap. Identifying those with limited potential for the future is relatively easy but nailing down the winner arguably less so. Yvette appears to be slowly getting her act together for Sir Mark Prescott, although whether or not she merits her place at the top of the market is debatable. The likes of Majestic Stone and Elysee Star have respective vulnerabilities (stamina for the latter) but are more reliable than some, while the veteran Gworn has place claims at best. Therefore, for small stakes the safest advice is to stick with the consistent filly SULAFAAT.