17:15 Newcastle

Friday 7 March 2025

All17:1517:4518:1518:4519:1519:4520:15

Free Bets With BetUK Bet Club Handicap

Off time: 17:15 | Winning time: 3m 35.01s

(1)

Man Of Riddles⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 9-12| J: Grace McEntee| T: M Young| OR: 59| D

14/1

Fifth of 7 in handicap at this C&D (33/1) 8 days ago and this 7-y-o is likely to find a few too good once more.

Form: 4756-05

(10)

Alex The Great^t⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: Jack Doughty⁽³⁾| T: A W Carroll| OR: 59| D

5/4

Latest win at Kempton in January. Respectable third of 8 in handicap (11/2) at Kempton (16f) 9 days ago, needing stiffer test. Has to be taken seriously.

Form: 93-4413

(7)

Grand Scheme^t¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-10| J: Jonathan England| T: S England| OR: 57

25/1

Sixth of 7 in handicap (18/1) at Wolverhampton (14f) 17 days ago. Opposable.

Form: 0/0586-6

(4)

Man Of Action^p1²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-10| J: Rhys Elliott⁽⁷⁾| T: Gary Rutherford| OR: 57

13/2

First run since leaving Andrew Kinirons when seventh of 8 in handicap at this C&D (10/3) 20 days ago. Hopes pinned on the first-time cheekpieces sparking a return to form.

Form: 40690-7

(8)

Quercus Robur^p⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-9| J: Cam Hardie| T: A Nicol| OR: 56| CD

17/2

C&D winner. 22/1, sixth of 7 in handicap at this C&D 8 days ago. Others make more appeal from a win point of view.

Form: 2/8-6676

(6)

Opera King^p¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Harrison Shaw| T: S Dixon| OR: 54

50/1

Thrice-raced maiden on Flat. 150/1, fifth of 6 in novice at Southwell (12.1f) 14 days ago. Significantly up in trip for this handicap debut and big step forward needed.

Form: 005

(11)

Unification^t1,v1⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: L Morris| T: P S McEntee| OR: 53

16/1

Creditable seventh of 12 in handicap at Chelmsford City (13.3f, 22/1) 8 days ago. Up in trip and sports a first time tongue strap and visor here. Place possibilities.

Form: 6/098-07

(9)

Typewritten^p³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 8-12| J: Rowan Scott| T: Ewan Whillans| OR: 45

7/2

Unreliable sort. Twenty-two runs since last win in 2022. Eighth of 9 in handicap (14/1) at this course (12.4f) 35 days ago, slowly away. Significantly back up in trip and she again looks vulnerable.

Form: 00-4268

(3)

Star Of Markinch³⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 8-12| J: Amie Waugh⁽³⁾| T: Gary Rutherford| OR: 45

12/1

Remains a maiden after 19 Flat runs. Sixth of 9 in handicap at this course (12.4f, 16/1) 35 days ago. Significantly back up in trip and will need to find improvement from somewhere if she's to finally open her account but certainly not without each-way hope.

Form: 3472-36

(5)

Freewheelin⁴⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 8-12| J: Mark Winn| T: J R Norton| OR: 45| CD

40/1

C&D winner. Seventeen runs since last win in 2022. Last of 11 in handicap (80/1) at Wolverhampton (16.6f) 48 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 58034-0

Non-Runners

(2)

Keeper Of Secrets²⁸

Weight: 8-10| Age: 4

T: R Menzies J: A Mullen

Forecasts

Alex The Great (5/4), Typewritten (7/2), Man Of Action (13/2), Quercus Robur (17/2), Star Of Markinch (12/1), Man Of Riddles (14/1), Unification (16/1), Grand Scheme (25/1), Freewheelin (40/1), Opera King (50/1), Keeper Of Secrets (50/1)

Given the dearth of in-form candidates on show, ALEX THE GREAT looks the safest option. He scored in good style at Kempton on his penultimate start and lost little caste in defeat when third in a higher-grade handicap at the same course next time, leaving the impression that this stiffer track would be right up his street. Unification and Star of Markinch can fill the places.