16:25 Newcastle

Friday 20 October 2023

All16:2517:0017:3018:0018:3019:0019:3020:0020:30

BetMGM: It's Showtime Apprentice Handicap

Off time: 16:32 | Winning time: 1m 41.16s

(10)

Cusack^p¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: Jonny Peate| T: D Thompson| OR: 65| CD

9/4

C&D winner. Latest win here in September. Again ran creditably when third of 11 in handicap (11/1) at this C&D 14 days ago. Merits consideration.

Form: 837143

(11)

Cloch Nua¹⁰⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Alex Jary⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs Stella Barclay| OR: 64| CD

16/1

C&D winner. Respectable fifth of 12 in handicap (14/1) at Doncaster (8f, firm). Off 105 days. Place claims if ready to roll after a break.

Form: 8-67325

(12)

Loom Large^t¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: William Pyle⁽³⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 63| C

9/4

Won 12-runner handicap at this course (10.2f, 20/1) 18 days ago, better placed than most. Back down in trip. Remains well treated on his Irish form and rates as a player with good-value claimer aboard.

Form: 7P5251

(2)

Danielsflyer^p¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 9-7| J: Connor Planas| T: D Thompson| OR: 63| CD

18/1

C&D winner. Respectable 4½ lengths sixth of 12 to Loom Large in handicap at this course (10.2f, 25/1) 18 days ago. Back down in trip. Cheekpieces back on. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 704576

(3)

Rory¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Amie Waugh⁽³⁾| T: J S Goldie| OR: 63| C

12/1

Unreliable individual. Course winner. Twenty one runs since last win in 2022. Ninth of 12 in handicap (16/1) at Ayr (7.2f, soft) 17 days ago. Hard to make a case for.

Form: 556279

(5)

Little Ted^p²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Sean Kirrane| T: T D Easterby| OR: 63| CD

16/1

Unreliable sort. C&D winner. Latest win at Ripon in August. Creditable sixth of 13 in handicap at Ayr (8f, good to soft, 11/1) 28 days ago. Others make more appeal on balance.

Form: 141306

(4)

Powdering^b¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Christian Howarth⁽³⁾| T: K A Ryan| OR: 64| D

13/2

Winner at Hamilton in June. Creditable fifth of 11 in handicap (20/1) at Wolverhampton (7.2f) 17 days ago. Can give a good account without posing serious threat to principals.

Form: 373865

(8)

Al Tarfa⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Brandon Wilkie⁽⁵⁾| T: W J Knight| OR: 63| BF

11/1

Twice chased home a thriving rival at Lingfield in recent weeks and probably wasn't seen to best effect from a poor position when seventh of 11 in handicap at Chelmsford City (8f) 8 days ago. Can be forgiven that effort and is high on the shortlist again.

Form: 678227

(1)

Bay Dream Believer^h⁷³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Frederick Larson| T: M Walford| OR: 60| D

28/1

Winner at Wetherby in May. 4/1, only fifth of 7 in handicap at Ripon (8f, good to soft) 73 days ago, making effort earlier than ideal. In good heart prior to that effort and isn't ruled out of making the frame.

Form: 821425

(9)

Mercurius Power^p,t²²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: Ben Sanderson| T: Jessica Macey| OR: 60| C| D

14/1

Course winner. Fourteen runs since last win in 2022. Appeared not to stay longer trip when ninth of 13 in handicap at Southwell (11.1f, 8/1) 22 days ago. Back down in trip. Cheekpieces back on. Has slipped in the weights but others possess more convincing recent profiles.

Form: 003859

(7)

Asdaa^v1¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-4| J: Oliver Stammers| T: C Johnston| OR: 60| CD

16/1

C&D winner. 5/1, failed to build on a mildly promising effort when only sixth of 8 in handicap at this C&D 14 days ago. Visor on 1st time. Others preferred.

Form: 550556

Non-Runners

(6)

Red Hat Eagle²

Weight: 9-11| Age: 3

T: W J Knight J: William Carver

Forecasts

Cusack (9/4), Loom Large (9/4), Red Hat Eagle (4/1), Powdering (13/2), Al Tarfa (11/1), Rory (12/1), Mercurius Power (14/1), Little Ted (16/1), Asdaa (16/1), Cloch Nua (16/1), Danielsflyer (18/1), Bay Dream Believer (28/1)

The form of AL TARFA's second-placed efforts behind Belo Horizonte still appeals as strong for this grade and he was left with far too much to do at Chelmsford last time, so William Knight's gelding is fancied to confirm his previous promise here. Cusack has remained in good form since winning here last month and rates as a player, as does Loom Large, who was seen to good effect when scoring over further here earlier in the month but remains on a potentially-lenient mark.