15:10 Newcastle

Tuesday 22 October 2019

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

Betway Optional Claiming Handicap

Off time: 15:11 | Winning time: 1m 12.19s

(7)

Above The Rest^h²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: B A Curtis| T: T D Barron| OR: 102| CD

11/1

Snug winner of the Group 3 Chipchase Stakes over C&D in June 2018 (fifth to Invincible Army in 2019); has struggled for form during much of 2019 (mainly over 7f) including in an Optional Claiming Handicap at Sandown last month.

Form: 705097

(2)

Staxton^p¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 95| CD

11/4

Kept on strongly when beating Cosmic Law by 1½L in a C&D Class 2 handicap in June (fourth the previous year); has faced tough tasks since in the Sky Bet Dash (York), the Great St Wilfrid (Ripon) and the Ayr Gold Cup.

Form: 130500

(14)

Intisaab^p¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 9-7| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 95| D

9/2

Midfield rank in the Ayr Gold Cup (6f, good) before a nearest at the finish third to Motagally at Wolverhampton (6f); has the required ability, yet equally has become a shade difficult to win with; drawn wide in stall 14 and that's a negative.

Form: 093039

(6)

Buridan⁸⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: S M Levey| T: R Hannon| OR: 91| D

14/1

Beat Royal Residence by a neck when winning a 6f Class 4 handicap at Lingfield (good to soft) in June before an ambitious tilt at the Stewards Cup (17th of 27); carries plenty of weight (4lb above last winning mark) for AW debut.

Form: 574210

(1)

Polybius³³

Age: 8| Weight: 9-1| J: J P Spencer| T: D M Simcock| OR: 89| D

50/1

Met trouble in-running (after making smooth headway) when finishing seventh in this contest in 2018; swiftly made amends when a ready winner of a Class 3 handicap at Kempton a few days later; quiet so far this calendar year (0-6).

Form: 666556

(10)

Warsaw Road³⁶⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Alistair Rawlinson| T: R M H Cowell| OR: 88| BF

14/1

With Luca Cumani when beaten a short-head by Glenamoy Lad (Muscika third) in this race 12 months ago; moved on a few days later for 85,000gns, yet absent since; can only be monitored in the market/race at this stage of proceedings.

Form: 471632-

(12)

Muscika^p²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 8-13| J: Angus Villiers⁽⁷⁾| T: D O'Meara| OR: 87| D

11/1

Made the frame (third) in this race in 2018, and unlike the absent Warsaw Road has done plenty of racing since; beaten just ½L by Dakota Gold in the Sky Bet Dash at York (6f, soft) in July - must be feared if able to recapture that form.

Form: 246085

(8)

Firmdecisions³¹

Age: 9| Weight: 8-10| J: Rowan Scott⁽³⁾| T: N Tinkler| OR: 84| D

66/1

Clocking on in terms of years (nine) but has enjoyed a productive season with 6f Class 4 wins at Carlisle and Hamilton; hasn't raced on the AW too often during the past 18 months or so; others readily preferred.

Form: 118726

(11)

Equiano Springs³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-10| J: A Mullen| T: T P Tate| OR: 84| CD

15/2

Boasts a 50% strike-rate on the AW at Newcastle (4-8) with three wins over 7f, and one over 6f (kept on well to beat Athollblair Boy by ½L); has continued to improve, winning on turf at Doncaster & Newmarket (6f) since.

Form: 145401

(9)

Athollblair Boy³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 8-10| J: Faye McManoman⁽⁵⁾| T: N Tinkler| OR: 84| BF| CD

10/1

Thoroughly likeable four-time course winner (6f-7f) who finished just over 1L third to Martineo on his last visit to Newcastle (6f) in March; has twice recently went down all guns blazing on turf at Doncaster (6f) and Redcar (7f); 2lb higher.

Form: 431422

(5)

Saluti²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: L Morris| T: P T Midgley| OR: 81| D

28/1

Edged out Athollblair Boy by a neck when winning a Silk Series Lady Riders' Handicap at Doncaster (6f, good to firm) in September; ran well from a 3lb higher mark at Pontefract subsequently - third to the clearcut winner Highly Sprung; 0-6 AW.

Form: 652313

(13)

Paddy Power³²

Age: 6| Weight: 8-5| J: Sean Davis⁽³⁾| T: R A Fahey| OR: 79| D

20/1

Unexposed on the AW (1-3); kept busy since twice winning over this trip in May (Thirsk and Goodwood); has related recent form with stablemate Lucky Lucky Man; nearest at the finish sixth of 24 in the Ayr Bronze Cup (6f).

Form: 385036

(3)

Lucky Lucky Man³²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-3| J: J P Sullivan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 77| CD

28/1

Driven out to take a Class 4 Handicap (6f) on his last visit to Newcastle in July 2018, rounding off last season with a decisive win in the Ayr Bronze Cup (6f, heavy); more miss than hit this season - has related form with stablemate Paddy Power.

Form: 683520

(4)

Tommy G²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 8-1| J: Jamie Gormley| T: J S Goldie| OR: 75| D

25/1

Won from a similar mark at Ayr in May (7f, good to firm) and posted another strong effort in the Stewards Cup Consolation Race at his beloved Goodwood (third to Poyle Vinnie); has placed form at Newcastle but is a worrying 0-13 on the AW.

Form: 738705

Forecasts

Staxton (11/4), Intisaab (9/2), Equiano Springs (15/2), Athollblair Boy (10/1), Above The Rest (11/1), Muscika (11/1), Buridan (14/1), Warsaw Road (14/1), Paddy Power (20/1), Tommy G (25/1), Saluti (28/1), Lucky Lucky Man (28/1), Polybius (50/1), Firmdecisions (66/1)

A devilishly difficult Optional Claiming Handicap. Warsaw Road was held close home in this race last year (Muscika third, Polybius an unlucky seventh) but has been absent since, having joined Robert Cowell for 85,000gns. Athollblair Boy and Equiano Spirit (have related form) are rock-solid Newcastle performers, with the former continuing on the upgrade and the latter sporting an impressive 50% course strike-rate (4-8). Meanwhile, Saluti is also very closely matched with Athollblair Boy on September Doncaster form. With no strong opinion (impossible) a few speculative shekels are aimed at the June C&D winner STAXTON for the bang-in-form Tim Easterby.