13:55 Newcastle

Friday 17 November 2023

All13:2013:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:5017:2017:52

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Off time: 13:57 | Winning time: 2m 12.12s

(6)

Evening Story⁷^{(ex 6)}

Age: 3| Weight: 9-13| J: S H James| T: Grant Tuer| OR: 71| C

11/4

First run since leaving Daniel & Claire Kubler when winning 11-runner handicap at this course (12.4f) 7 days ago, overcoming pace bias. Should cope with this drop back in trip and she's a major player under a penalty.

Form: 310511

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(8)

Cosmos Raj^p¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: D Nolan| T: D O'Meara| OR: 72| BF| D

10/1

Evens, respectable second of 5 in seller at Chelmsford City (8f) 10 days ago. Back up in trip and should be on the premises, albeit his record on the AW stands at 0-9.

Form: 544252

(3)

Governor Of India^b¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: R Havlin| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 73| CD

2/1

Lightly-raced winner. Career best when winning 12-runner handicap (9/2) at this C&D 17 days ago by neck from Sagauteur, cosily. Remains open to improvement for top yard, so 6 lb rise by no means prohibitive.

Form: 4971

(4)

Sagauteur^t¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: L Morris| T: R Menzies| OR: 68| CD

12/1

C&D winner. Eleven runs since last win in 2022. Neck second of 12 to Governor of India in handicap at this C&D (40/1) 17 days ago. 2 lb better off with that rival now, but his profile suggests that he's not certain to back that effort up.

Form: 356092

(1)

Highwaygrey^p¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-6| J: Jason Hart| T: T D Easterby| OR: 67| D

10/1

Creditable 2¾ lengths fifth of 12 to Governor of India in handicap at this C&D (10/1) 17 days ago, nearest finish. Hasn't got his head in front for a while, but there's no doubt that he's capable of winning races off this sort of mark.

Form: 355735

(5)

Cusack^p¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Jonny Peate⁽³⁾| T: D Thompson| OR: 66| BF| CD

10/1

Four-time course winner. 3 wins from 12 runs this year, the latest gained here last month. 11/4, only ninth of 12 in handicap at this course (8f) 17 days ago, though, he's opposable on that back of that display.

Form: 714319

(7)

Mercurius Power^p,t¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: Lewis Edmunds| T: Jessica Macey| OR: 58| C

13/2

Course winner. Sixteen runs since last win in 2022. Creditable fourth of 11 in handicap at this C&D (7/1) 10 days ago. Looks vulnerable.

Form: 385954

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Non-Runners

(2)

Ayr Poet⁶

Weight: 9-7| Age: 8

T: J S Goldie J: P Mulrennan

Forecasts

Governor Of India (2/1), Evening Story (11/4), Mercurius Power (13/2), Highwaygrey (10/1), Cusack (10/1), Cosmos Raj (10/1), Ayr Poet (10/1), Sagauteur (12/1)

It was a case of smoothly does it for EVENING STORY here last week and, with this drop back in trip unlikely to pose a problem, she is taken to complete the hat-trick. The clear main danger is fellow 3-y-o Governor of India, who made a winning all-weather/handicap debut over C&D recently and almost certainly has more to offer. Sagauteur was hot on the heels of Governor of India that day, but the each-way angle could be Highwaygrey, who encountered traffic problems when fifth in that same race.