16:55 Newcastle

Thursday 11 March 2021

All16:5517:3018:0018:3019:0019:3020:0020:30

Betway Handicap

Off time: 16:55 | Winning time: 3m 35.99s

(5)

Lopes Dancer¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Joanna Mason⁽⁵⁾| T: W Bethell| OR: 76| C

14/1

Five-time course winner. Won 12-runner handicap at this course (12.4f, 9/1) 19 days ago, keeping on well. More needed now back up in trip off this 5 lb higher mark.

Form: 249-421

(2)

Busy Street¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 9-12| J: Callum Rodriguez| T: R Menzies| OR: 74| CD

7/1

C&D winner. Eighteen runs since last win in 2019. Good third of 6 in handicap (7/2) at this C&D 16 days ago and, now 1 lb lower, a bold show is very much on the cards.

Form: 95570-3

(8)

Cloud Thunder^b²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: Hollie Doyle| T: H Main| OR: 76| D

9/2

Blinkered for 1st time, won 8-runner bumper at Lingfield (16f, standard, 2/1) on bumper debut 24 days ago, pushed out. On a workable mark back in this sphere, but needs some improvement.

Form: 0/37222-

(7)

Glan Y Gors^t¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 9-10| J: C Lee| T: D Thompson| OR: 72| C

14/1

Four-time course winner. Three wins from 10 runs last year. 14/1, fourth of 6 in handicap at this C&D 16 days ago, well positioned. Certainly not without each-way hope.

Form: 8657-34

(3)

Dagian^p³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-6| J: P Hanagan| T: James Moffatt| OR: 68| CD

28/1

10/1, fourth of 9 in bumper at this course (20f, standard to slow) 31 days ago, having run of race. Poor effort when last seen in this sphere in June 2019, but resumes on a potentially handy mark.

Form: 82170/7-

(1)

Flint Hill¹¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: G Lee| T: Ruth Jefferson| OR: 65

25/1

Below par on latest start over hurdles at Huntingdon in November, and he was well held on sole previous start on this surface back in 2018.

Form: 49655/6-

(6)

Wise Eagle³⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Billy Garritty⁽³⁾| T: A Nicol| OR: 67| CD

6/4

Went the wrong way following Lingfield maiden success for Tom Clover last year, but very much back on track for new yard (in bumpers here the last twice) and he merits serious consideration.

Form: 417777-

(4)

Ghadbbaan¹⁵⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Ben Robinson| T: B Ellison| OR: 62

10/1

20/1, good third of 11 in handicap at Redcar (14f, heavy) when last seen in October. Should pick up a race before long, but the fact that he has struggled on both previous visits here is a worry.

Form: 673033-

(9)

Jen's Fella⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: P J McDonald| T: Ian Williams| OR: 65

8/1

Fifth of 6 in handicap at Lingfield (15.8f, AW, 7/2) 5 days ago, left poorly placed. Went agonisingly close over the same C&D on penultimate start, but his profile is starting to look rather patchy.

Form: 423-725

(10)

Muftakker⁷⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 8-12| J: Connor Murtagh⁽³⁾| T: J R Norton| OR: 60| BF

25/1

Winner at Wolverhampton in November. 10/3, below form eighth of 13 in handicap at Wolverhampton (14f) 74 days ago. Each-way chance if on-song this time.

Form: 43/2128-

Forecasts

Wise Eagle (6/4), Cloud Thunder (9/2), Busy Street (7/1), Jen's Fella (8/1), Ghadbbaan (10/1), Glan Y Gors (14/1), Lopes Dancer (14/1), Muftakker (25/1), Flint Hill (25/1), Dagian (28/1)

Cases can be made for the majority of these, but WISE EAGLE is the most interesting given the apparent improvement he has shown in jumpers bumpers over C&D of late. Indeed, he resumes in this sphere on a potentially very handy mark and gets the nod ahead of Busy Street, who wasn't beaten far in a higher grade handicap here last time. Dagian could go well at a price and Muftakker also has claims.