Parklands Driving Range Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:21 | Winning time: 6m 31.80s

Diamond Brig^t1⁴⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: N W Alexander| OR: 108

6/1

Decisive winner of the Buccleuch Cup at Kelso (3m2f, heavy) in April 2018; didn't race last season for Rose Dobbin before moving on to Nick Alexander; yet to really find his feet in handicap company (eased 7lb); tongue-tie now applied.

Form: 1311/4P

Speak Of The Devil⁴⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: S Mulqueen⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 108

2/1

Runner-up on both previous visits to Newcastle (C&D), including when beaten 12L by an impressive Capard King (Kings Eclipse third); couldn't quite match the finishing effort of a rejuvenated Donna's Delight at Ayr (3m3f, heavy) subsequently.

Form: 5-32U22

Skyhill^h,t³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: Mrs A C Hamilton| OR: 106| D

9/4

Versatile (fences or hurdles); was completing a four-timer when keeping on strongly to beat Westend Theatre by 4½L at Kelso (2m5½f, soft) in January; has more on his plate from 8lb higher (career high mark) but should be thereabouts.

Form: 231111

Kings Eclipse⁵¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: R D Day| T: A Wilson| OR: 106| D

8/1

Exploited a more favourable mark when rallying gamely to reel-in Sandy Thomson's Mymilan at Kelso (2m7½f, heavy) in early January; has risen 6lb in the weights since; work to do with Speak Of The Devil on earlier C&D form.

Form: 635P31

Oscar Ceremony^t¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Henry Brooke| T: Stef Keniry| OR: 105| D

4/1

Continues to rise in the weights following a productive season; added to an October Kelso win (2m7½f) when posting a solid round of fencing at Musselburgh (3m, soft) a fortnight ago, beating Craiganboy by 2¾L; 5lb higher.

Form: 3312P1

Non-Runners

Pc Dixon¹²

Weight: 10-0| Age: 7

T: V Thompson J: C O'Farrell

Forecasts

Speak Of The Devil (2/1), Skyhill (9/4), Oscar Ceremony (4/1), Diamond Brig (6/1), Kings Eclipse (8/1), Pc Dixon (20/1)

Half of the field arrive off the back of a recent win, or four in the case of the thriving Skyhill. Alison Hamilton's charge has mixed hurdling with fencing in rising sharply through the ranks. He merits respect from an 8lb higher mark (for January's Kelso win) albeit has more on his plate against these opponents. Oscar Ceremony is another to have enjoyed a productive season, while the veteran Kings Eclipse was a game winner at Kelso. Nevertheless, the selection is Lucinda Russell's SPEAK OF THE DEVIL. Twice runner-up over this C&D, he couldn't quite match the finishing effort of a rejuvenated (then Eider Chase hopeful) Donna's Delight at Ayr (3m3f) latest.