16:30 Newcastle

Friday 16 January 2026

All12:3013:0513:4014:1514:5015:2015:5516:30

BetMGM AWC Mile Trial Handicap

Off time: 16:30 | Winning time: 1m 38.98s

(8)

Witch Hunter⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-12| J: S M Levey| T: R Hannon| OR: 101| C

11/2

Course winner. Latest win here in September. 4/1, not beaten far when fifth of 7 in handicap at Kempton (7f) 9 days ago, slowly away. Not taken lightly.

Form: 76103-5

(1)

Storm Star³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| OR: 100| CD

7/4

3-time C&D winner. Three wins from 4 runs last year. Creditable third of 7 in handicap at this course (7.1f, 11/4) 34 days ago after 8 months off. Entitled to come on for that and player.

Form: 33/1113-

(3)

Apiarist¹⁰⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: Shane Gray| T: K A Ryan| OR: 96| CD

9/2

C&D winner. Good third of 15 in handicap (11/2) at Ascot (7f, soft), going well when short of room 2f out. Off 104 days. Expected to be bang there.

Form: 384003-

(7)

James McHenry²⁷⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: Callum Rodriguez| T: E Bethell| OR: 94| BF| D

14/1

Evidently goes well fresh, scoring on his reappearance in 2023 and likewise in 2024. Runner-up in the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket final start that season and shaped better than bare result at Newbury only start last season. Off 9 months.

Form: 52242/0-

(4)

Crack On Boys³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: J Mitchell| T: Tom Clover| OR: 89| CD

9/1

C&D winner. Latest win here in August. Respectable sixth of 12 in handicap at Kempton (8f, 5/1) 30 days ago, not ideally placed. Respected.

Form: 273156-

(9)

Talis Evolvere¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 8-13| J: Alec Voikhansky| T: R Hannon| OR: 88| CD

13/2

C&D winner. 9/4, took advantage of reduced mark to win 8-runner handicap at Southwell (8.1f) 13 days ago. Looks competitive on form.

Form: 04205-1

(5)

Rogue Encore^p¹¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 8-12| J: P J McDonald| T: P W Chapple-Hyam| OR: 87| CD

18/1

3-time C&D winner. Career best when winning 13-runner handicap at this C&D (11/2). Off 110 days. Should remain competitive after a small rise in the weights.

Form: 503271-

(6)

Dosman³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 8-10| J: Jonny Peate| T: Oli Rix| OR: 85

18/1

Fairly useful handicapper but left Jamie Osborne for 4,000 gns and always behind starting out for this yard at Kempton.

Form: 200038-

(2)

Uniting^p1³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 8-3| J: Hollie Doyle| T: Ian Williams| OR: 78| BF| CD

12/1

C&D winner. Latest win here in November. 9/2, close third of 12 in handicap at Kempton (8f) 30 days ago, well positioned. Headgear on 1st time. Thriving.

Form: 003113-

Forecasts

Storm Star (7/4), Apiarist (9/2), Witch Hunter (11/2), Talis Evolvere (13/2), Crack On Boys (9/1), Uniting (12/1), James McHenry (14/1), Dosman (18/1), Rogue Encore (18/1)

APIARIST, a consistent performer with previous C&D success, shaped better than his Ascot third suggests when last seen and should relish returning to the all-weather. Talis Evolvere bounced back to winning form at Southwell recently and remains with scope from a reduced mark. Storm Star, a three-time C&D winner early last year, shaped encouragingly on his comeback and will appreciate this trip.