18:00 Newcastle

Saturday 19 February 2022

All17:0017:3018:0018:3019:0019:30

Watch Racing Free Online At Coral Handicap

Off time: 18:02 | Winning time: 1m 14.10s

(1)

Vespasian²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: Ross Coakley| T: S & E Crisford| OR: 77| BF

11/10

Winner at Lingfield in January. Evens, second of 9 in minor event at Southwell (6.1f) 26 days ago. Unexposed and, with the possibility of better to come now handicapping, he's high on the shortlist.

Form: 3-12

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

(5)

Top Exhibit^p¹⁴²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Adam J McNamara| T: A Watson| OR: 75| D

18/1

Winner at Ffos Las in August. 10/1, creditable sixth of 13 in nursery at Lingfield (7f, AW), racing closer to pace than ideal. Off 142 days ahead of this tapeta debut and cheekpieces refitted.

Form: 627146-

(4)

Yaahobby¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Cam Hardie| T: A Brittain| OR: 73| D

4/1

Career best when winning 7-runner minor event (18/1) on debut for new yard at Wolverhampton (6.1f) 18 days ago, driven out. Mark for this handicap bow looks fair and he needs considering.

Form: 047-1

(2)

True Jem¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: C Lee| T: K R Burke| OR: 73| D

11/1

Winner at Southwell in January. Last of 6 in handicap (15/2) there (6.1f) 16 days ago. Probably a shade too high in the weights for now.

Form: 4943-16

(6)

Definitive Force¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: K T O'Neill| T: Alice Haynes| OR: 72| CD

5/1

C&D winner in November. Fourth of 6 in handicap (13/2) at Southwell (6.1f) 16 days ago. Looks vulnerable off the same mark.

Form: 4671-4

(3)

Romantic Thought⁴⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Oliver Stammers⁽³⁾| T: Grant Tuer| OR: 68

20/1

Winner at Catterick in October. 10/1, last of 10 in handicap at this course (5f) 44 days ago, badly hampered. Others make greater appeal.

Form: 671D5-0

(7)

Lunasa³⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Joanna Mason⁽³⁾| T: Mrs L Stubbs| OR: 68| C

17/2

Career best when winning 4-runner handicap at this course (5f, 11/2) 30 days ago, slowly away. 5 lb rise not the end of the world, but this is a more demanding assignment.

Form: 6214-51

Forecasts

Vespasian (11/10), Yaahobby (4/1), Definitive Force (5/1), Lunasa (17/2), True Jem (11/1), Top Exhibit (18/1), Romantic Thought (20/1)

The two with the most appealing credentials are handicap debutants YAAHOBBY and Vespasian. The latter hasn't done a great deal wrong in his three starts to date and is greatly respected, but Yaahobby is marginally preferred on the back of his successful start for this yard at Wolverhampton. Lunasa did the job well in a 4-runner affair here last month and is best of the rest.