20:15 Newcastle

Tuesday 10 March 2020

All16:4017:1517:4518:1518:4519:1519:4520:15

Bombardier 'March To Your Own Drum' Handicap (Div 2)

Off time: 20:16 | Winning time: 1m 29.34s

(7)

Tiercel²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 9-10| J: Rowan Scott⁽³⁾| T: Rebecca Bastiman| OR: 62| CD

16/1

Apprentice jockey offsets the burden of top-weight, and he will need all the help he can get given how he has been running recently. Subsequently dropped 5lb below last winning mark, and interesting to see if there is money for him.

Form: 100-649

(5)

Bawaader²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: J Fanning| T: D Thompson| OR: 61

11/4

Still lightly raced and has posted much more encouraging efforts the last twice since returning to action this year, finishing third over 1m at this track on each occasion. Drops back in trip and has to go close.

Form: 6550-33

(8)

Explain^p¹⁶¹

Age: 8| Weight: 9-7| J: J P Sullivan| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 59| DWS

12/1

0-2 on the AW. Difficult to enthuse over given the manner of his performances during 2019 too. Makes seasonal reappearance, but has had a wind op and he does look dangerously well handicapped. Monitor market vibes.

Form: 505709-

(2)

I'll Be Brief²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Callum Rodriguez| T: Miss J A Camacho| OR: 58

13/2

Not had much racing and has shown enough ability to suggest she can win a race of this nature at some point in the near future. This is slightly easier than the race she finished fourth in at Kempton (7f; standard to slow), so she has claims.

Form: 533/5-4

(4)

Moretti¹⁹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Lewis Edmunds| T: J L Eyre| OR: 57| D

14/1

Still needs to prove herself on the AW, but she ended last season in career-best form. Goes well fresh too, so absence is of no concern as she makes seasonal reappearance. Should play a leading role.

Form: 0/67311-

(9)

Mudawwan^p³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-4| J: P J McDonald| T: J D Bethell| OR: 56| CD

13/2

Extremely quiet of late, but as such his mark has dropped 14lb below his last winning one. Hasn't looked like bouncing back to form in recent times, but it would be significant if the market spoke in his favour.

Form: 3009-69

(6)

Deputy Star³³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: P Mulrennan| T: B Haslam| OR: 54

11/2

Showed ability in novice races, and he can be forgiven his most recent effort. Now makes handicap debut over 7f for the first time, and should produce an improved effort. Interesting to see if there is support for him in the market.

Form: 5-47

(1)

Rockley Point^b⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 8-13| J: Phil Dennis| T: K Scott| OR: 51| C| D

9/1

Returns to 7f for the first time since August 2018. In an out of form in recent months, but would have place claims on the strength of his third over 6f at this track back in January.

Form: 5210-38

(3)

With Approval^b¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 8-11| J: S A Gray| T: K Tutty| OR: 49| CD

9/2

Posted another solid effort in defeat over 1m at this track when runner-up last time out. Looks to be returning to form, and although he is vulnerable to less expose types he is one to keep in mind for making the frame again.

Form: 38-5532

Forecasts

Bawaader (11/4), With Approval (9/2), Deputy Star (11/2), Mudawwan (13/2), I'll Be Brief (13/2), Rockley Point (9/1), Explain (12/1), Moretti (14/1), Tiercel (16/1)

There are a couple in this finale who could be dangerous to write off if recapturing their old form such as Mudawwan, Tiercel and Explain. Their chances will be strengthened if support arrives for them in the market. With Approval and Bawaader are difficult to knock after making the frame here the last twice. Open to improvement on handicap debut is the lightly raced Deputy Star while the unknown quantity is Moretti who ended last season in career best form but is still to translate her turf form to AW. Thus, a chance is taken on I'LL BE BRIEF who has respectable course form to his name and ran well in a stronger contest last time out.