17:50 Newcastle

Tuesday 11 February 2020

All16:2016:5017:2017:5018:2018:5019:2019:50

Betway Handicap

Off time: 17:50 | Winning time: 1m 14.75s

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(8)

Glenamoy Lad^t⁶⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-10| J: F Norton| T: M Wigham| OR: 87| CD

13/2

Lost his unbeaten Newcastle record (now 2-3) when struggling to make his presence felt in a Class 3 C&D handicap won by Brushwork in early December; sits 2lb lower in a theoretically less competitive race.

Form: 876609-

(1)

Mia Mento²⁰⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: J Mitchell| T: P W Chapple-Hyam| OR: 84| D

14/1

Debut Leopardstown maiden winner (6f, good to firm); offered further glimpses of ability for Thomas Mullins in Listed/handicap company thereafter; returns from an absence of 208 days for AW/stable debut; market the most helpful starting point.

Form: 03/7647-

(9)

Jungle Speed^t¹²²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Jason Hart| T: I Furtado| OR: 83| D

40/1

Former French racer (F.Chappet); basically has shown moderate form since winning at Fontainebleau (6f, good to soft) in April 2019; makes his first start on the AW for new trainer Ivan Furtado (cost €16,000).

Form: 319880-

(6)

Athollblair Boy⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: Faye McManoman⁽⁵⁾| T: N Tinkler| OR: 82| BF| CD

4/1

Thoroughly likeable four-time course winner (6f-7f); fluffed the start (held every chance thereafter) when a beaten favourite over C&D (Class 4) last week; can't be discounted but this does appear to be a slightly tougher test.

Form: 4220-44

(4)

Reckless Endeavour²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: Hayley Turner| T: T D Barron| OR: 82| BF| CD

11/2

Finished fast from a seemingly impossible position when winning over C&D on his penultimate start (reeled-in the progressive Wasntexpectingthat); fourth of five to Merhoob at Lingfield (6f) subsequently; can dwell and of course that isn't helpful.

Form: 7243-14

(5)

Lady Of Aran²²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: S Donohoe| T: C Fellowes| OR: 82| BF| D

5/1

Sharpest on the Polytrack at Kempton (her form figures there read 12232); raised 1lb since finishing second to Starlight Romance three weeks ago; interesting to see what she's capable of at Newcastle (has won on a uphill finish at Pontefract).

Form: 01032-2

(7)

Barrington^v¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 8-13| J: B A Curtis| T: M Appleby| OR: 76| D

4/1

Yet to win on the AW (0-11) and isn't quite the force of old; appreciates racing prominently, finding only a single rival stronger at Kempton and Lingfield on his last two starts (6f); form with Fuente ties in closely with Athollblair Boy.

Form: 584-622

(3)

Lucky Lodge^v³

Age: 10| Weight: 8-10| J: Cam Hardie| T: A Brittain| OR: 73| CD

9/2

A grand servant to Antony Brittain (14-111, including 10-58 on the AW); narrow C&D winner on his last visit to Newcastle (Class 5) and twice runner-up at Wolverhampton (7f) since, most latterly on Saturday evening (beaten ½L by Chookie Dunedin).

Form: 34-5122

(2)

Epeius^v²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 8-9| J: A Mullen| T: B Haslam| OR: 72| CD

16/1

Four-time C&D winner (Class 5 & 6); lost all chance after rearing at the start last month and that run is safely forgotten; that said, this race looks to be more competitive and in truth an overly ambitious assignment.

Form: 24236-8

Forecasts

Athollblair Boy (4/1), Barrington (4/1), Lucky Lodge (9/2), Lady Of Aran (5/1), Reckless Endeavour (11/2), Glenamoy Lad (13/2), Mia Mento (14/1), Epeius (16/1), Jungle Speed (40/1)

A competitive Class 4 handicap which features an array of in-form horses which include Reckless Endeavour, Barrington and Lucky Lodge in addition to a number of C&D specialists, namely Glenamoy Lad and Athollblair Boy. Therefore, with this firmly in mind stakes should be kept to the bare minimum. Charlie Fellowes saddles the Kempton regular LADY OF ARAN who makes appeal as a thoroughly honest and consistent mare. She remains reasonably handicapped after knocking on the door lately, and with a turf win at Pontefract in mind (stiff uphill finish) is well worth trying on the Tapeta at Newcastle.