18:00 Newcastle

Thursday 23 January 2020

All16:3017:0017:3018:0018:3019:0019:3020:00

Play 4 To Score At Betway Handicap

Off time: 18:00 | Winning time: 1m 13.52s

(6)

Foolaad^t²²

Age: 9| Weight: 9-7| J: Lewis Edmunds| T: S R Bowring| OR: 85| CD

11/2

Dual course winner (6f-7f); didn't enjoy the most productive of seasons on turf last summer after finishing a close second to Copper Knight at York (5f, Cl 2) in May; is well handicapped as a result and could feasibly have a major say.

Form: 80505-4

(3)

Lorton¹⁸⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Victor Santos⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss J A Camacho| OR: 84| D

20/1

Hasn't won since her juvenile campaign (valuable 28-runner contest at Newmarket); lacks much in the way of experience on artificial surfaces (this is her first run on Tapeta); absent from action for six-months (180 days); others preferred.

Form: 822558-

(4)

Hart Stopper^p,t¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-6| J: Hayley Turner| T: S C Williams| OR: 84| BF| D

5/1

Consistent for an extended period of time (since July 2019); things didn't pan out perfectly at Kempton (6f) a fortnight ago (equally one could argue he was produced to win his race); should be there or thereabouts with a similar effort.

Form: 4232-72

(1)

Treacherous²⁵⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: Callum Shepherd| T: E De Giles| OR: 83| CD

20/1

Won three on the spin on the AW in early 2019, including this particular race; 2lb above his last winning mark (Kempton); off the track since fading into the rear-division at Ascot (6f, good to soft) in May 2019; tough task.

Form: 111290-

(5)

Fendale⁴⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 9-5| J: G Lee| T: B Smart| OR: 83| C

11/2

Always runs his usual solid race here at Newcastle (21272); sits on the same mark as when beating Bowson Fred by ½L here (5f) 12 months ago; lost little in defeat (40-1) to the progressive Brushwork over C&D seven weeks ago; definite contender.

Form: 285472-

(7)

Athollblair Boy⁹³

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: Faye McManoman⁽⁵⁾| T: N Tinkler| OR: 83| CD

8/1

Thoroughly likeable four-time course winner (6f-7f); appeared to be paying his dues to the handicapper when last in competitive action during the early autumn; the suspicion is that he'll find others better handicapped off a 93-day absence.

Form: 314220-

(8)

Louis Treize¹⁸⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: L Morris| T: R Spencer| OR: 81| CD

4/1

Lightly raced Slade Power gelding (£120,000 yearling); made short work of his opponents when easily winning a C&D novice in June 2018; placed from this mark at Haydock (5f, good to soft) in July 2019; interesting to see what the market says.

Form: 210/03-

(9)

Fuente¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: J Fanning| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 78| D

11/4

Group 3-placed as a juvenile (Kempton's Sirenia Stakes); beaten ½L by Fastar at Wolverhampton (7f) on his penultimate start; wasn't too far behind (fourth) the reopposing Hart Stopper at Kempton (6f) latest; each-way claims.

Form: 24472-4

(2)

Glorious Charmer³⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: T Eaves| T: M Herrington| OR: 75| D

50/1

Won twice on turf for Ed Walker in late 2018 (Ffos Las and Yarmouth); hasn't shown a great deal of promise since returning to the track here in early December; the handicapper is gradually cutting him some slack; this looks too competitive.

Form: 14/5409-

Forecasts

Fuente (11/4), Louis Treize (4/1), Hart Stopper (5/1), Fendale (11/2), Foolaad (11/2), Athollblair Boy (8/1), Lorton (20/1), Treacherous (20/1), Glorious Charmer (50/1)

The highlight of tonight's Newcastle card. Treacherous progressed quickly after winning this race from an 8lb lower mark in 2019, so it's not beyond the realms of possibility that the lightly raced C&D novice winner Louis Treize could do likewise for Richard Spencer. However, more obvious contenders include the consistent Hart Stopper, the tough Fendale and the eased-in-grade FOOLAAD. The selection is undeniably well handicapped on turf form from early 2019, and is expected to have a major say with a couple of recent spins on the Fibresand at Southwell under his belt.