15:20 Newcastle
Wednesday 19 December 2018
All15:2015:5516:3017:0517:4018:1518:4519:15
Betway Casino Handicap
- 3YO plus | Class 4 | 1m 4f 98y | Standard | 12 Runners | Allweather | Weighed In
- Off time: 15:24 | Winning time: 2m 40.97s
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Has failed to click in four starts for this trainer after leaving John Gosden in July for 28,000gns; handicap mark on the slide and 1-1 on Tapeta (Wolverhampton).
Has followed the well trodden Keith Dalgleish to Kenny Johnson route, and is making his first Flat start for current connections following a couple of tame efforts over hurdles; no trip issues; sole previous AW start on Fibresand.
So often a real character in the preliminaries, Ajman Prince competes at Newcastle for the first time since November 2016 (course record; 4552112); has evidently had issues with injury and sits high enough in the weights; market a useful guide.
Finished last of 12 on his return to action (from a nine-month absence) over 1m2f here last month; in theory this trip should suit him far better based upon his earlier form for Richard Hannon, albeit others are much preferred.
Bought for €30,000 out of the Johnny Murtagh yard last month; well beaten over hurdles at Carlisle on Sunday.
Effective over this trip at Dundalk (1,2) for previous handler A.Oliver, and showed slightly more spark on his third start for Les Eyre at Wolverhampton latest; handicap mark on the slide and still largely unexposed overall; claims.
Hasn't shown much on the AW in his previous UK starts (1-4 in France), but ended the turf season with positive momentum between 1m2f-1m4f (212); 6lb above his last winning mark and sports first-time cheekpieces off a 50 day absence.
Stablemate of Restive; sprung a shock when scoring at odds of 80/1 over 2m here in October but backed that up with another solid run three weeks later; now 3lb above last winning mark; shorter trip probably far from ideal.
Stablemate of Loud And Clear; although both of his AW wins have come on Fibresand, this C&D also holds no fears whatsoever; improvement is possible with the tongue-tie applied for the first-time, but ideally an ease in the weights is required.
Bought for 10,000gns in October 2018, this former French racer is hooded on debut for Phil Kirby; all three of her career wins have come over 1m4f on turf at Nantes; unexposed on the AW; market helpful.
C&D winner for former handler Sally Haynes (September 2017); also in the winners enclosure at odds of 40/1 on his latest Flat start at Redcar (1m6f, soft) last month; fair chance off just 2lb higher.
Has made just a single start in handicap company on the AW (June 2018) but rounded off the turf season in reasonable shape with a couple of placed efforts in Class 5 company at Musselburgh (1m6f); tougher assignment in a Class 4 contest..
Forecasts
Illustrissime (2/1), Ajman Prince (7/2), Loud And Clear (8/1), Lopes Dancer (10/1), Restive (10/1), Archive (10/1), Play It Cool (10/1), Dommersen (16/1), Paris Protocol (16/1), Near Kettering (40/1), Lady Kyria (50/1), Starplex (100/1)
A tight opener with the market potentially holding the most informative clues. Jim Goldie does well with his Newcastle runners and the Kilmarnock handler is doubly-represented with Loud And Clear and Restive. Lady Kyria is an unexposed newcomer for Phil Kirby, whilst the enigmatic Ajman Prince struts his stuff at Gosforth Park for the first time since December 2016. Illustrissime should figure prominently towards the fore of the market having ended the turf season in form, but a sporting bet at more rewarding odds is PLAY IT COOL. He hasn't demonstrated his peak AW form for Les Eyre yet but could well appreciate the long Newcastle home straight.
- Play It Cool
- Loud And Clear
- Illustrissime
Prize Money
1st: £5,531.002nd: £1,646.003rd: £823.004th: £411.005th: £300.006th: £300.007th: £300.008th: £300.00
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