12:15 Newcastle

Thursday 9 January 2020

All12:1512:4513:2013:5514:2515:0015:3016:05

Betway Handicap

Off time: 12:15 | Winning time: 3m 36.5s

(5)

Noble Behest⁴^{(ex 5)}

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: Robbie Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: Ian Williams| OR: 73| D

11/8

Prolific on AW, winning seven of 11 starts. Bids for a four-timer having had his rivals beaten a long way out at Southwell on Sunday and has looked equally as effective on Tapeta of late. 5lb penalty to carry but hard to oppose in his current mood.

Form: 08211-1

(4)

Dagian^b1²³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-13| J: G Lee| T: James Moffatt| OR: 76

150/1

Sole win came on the Flat at Bath when trained by Amanda Perrett. Shaped with promise in a few starts over hurdles for this yard but has lost his way since and well beaten on his previous AW outing; wears first-time blinkers.

Form: 28217/0-

(3)

Flat To The Max^t1⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-13| J: D C Costello| T: T J FitzGerald| OR: 76| D

15/2

Only AW win came on heavy ground at Navan on debut. Has run with credit in a couple of starts for his new yard on AW this winter but needs more to defy this mark against some in form rivals; wears first-time tongue-tie.

Form: 40473-2

(7)

Diodorus^b³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: B A Curtis| T: Karen McLintock| OR: 71

11/2

Sole win came in a Dundalk maiden back in 2017. Found some form on turf towards the back end of the summer with a couple of runner-up finishes but well beaten on his return to AW at Wolverhampton last month; becoming well-handicapped at least.

Form: 653226-

(1)

Grenadier Guard²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: J Fanning| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 75

11/2

Heavy ground winner at Haydock in June on his second career start but lost his way since and often races lazily. May come on for that first run in 120 days but there's still plenty of questions over his attitude at present.

Form: 123744-

(2)

Mauricio^p²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: Cam Hardie| T: Mrs Stella Barclay| OR: 68| D

80/1

Useful dual purpose performer for Dr Richard Newland and stuck to his task well when stepped back up in trip at Wolverhampton last time on debut for this yard, finishing fourth of 11; each-way claims up in trip again.

Form: 71/1524-

(6)

Nataleena²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: A Mullen| T: B Haslam| OR: 61| CD

7/2

Benefited from a strong pace when winning over C&D having been held up from off the pace and she's run well in two subsequent course starts without getting her head in front; unlikely to get an overly strong pace in this field but can go well again.

Form: 627134-

Forecasts

Noble Behest (11/8), Nataleena (7/2), Diodorus (11/2), Grenadier Guard (11/2), Flat To The Max (15/2), Mauricio (80/1), Dagian (150/1)

It's hard to oppose the in form NOBLE BEHEST in his bid for a fourth win on the trot. The six-year-old was travelling all over his rivals approaching the home straight at Southwell last time out and put the race to bed in fairly convincing fashion; he should be hard to beat with just a 5lb penalty to cope with. Nataleena is a consistent sort who runs well at this venue while Diodorus is becoming well-handicapped on old form.