15:15 Newcastle

Saturday 6 June 2020

All12:5513:3014:0514:4015:1515:5016:3017:0517:4018:15

Betway Heed Your Hunch Handicap

Off time: 15:16 | Winning time: 1m 38.87s

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(5)

Monoski²⁵⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: J Fanning| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 100

12/1

Made a solid start to his racing career (6f Pontefract winner) before struggling to make an impact in races such as the Coventry Stakes and the Irish National Stakes (won in devastating style by Pinatubo); makes his AW debut as a 3yo.

Form: 033444-

(3)

Palace Pier²⁶²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: R Havlin| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 98

11/10

Kingman colt (600,000gns yearling) who attracted many column inches courtesy of smooth back-to-back 7f juvenile wins at Sandown; rates as an exciting prospect for a trainer with an excellent record (44-121; 36%) here at Newcastle; the key player.

Form: 11-

(2)

He's A Keeper²²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: R Kingscote| T: Tom Dascombe| OR: 93| D

16/1

Landed the odds when off the mark at the second time of asking at Haydock (1m, soft) last August before disappointing in the Listed Silver Tankard Stakes (Pontefract) on his final start; faces a tough looking introduction to handicapping.

Form: 2164-

(4)

Embolden^v²¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: T Hamilton| T: R A Fahey| OR: 91

25/1

Broadly consistent as a juvenile, winning on heavy ground at Redcar (7f) in the autumn before a career best performance in the Group 3 Horris Hill at Newmarket - finished fifth (Gravity Force fourth) to Kenzai Warrior; stablemate of Yoshimi.

Form: 332715-

(7)

Acquitted²²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: B A Curtis| T: H Palmer| OR: 89| D

2/1

Successful in two of his three juvenile starts, and finished just behind a well-touted stablemate of Palace Pier in defeat at Newbury (1m, good) in September; rock-solid over 1m, so must be feared under the guidance of AW champion Ben Curtis.

Form: 141-

(8)

Rich Belief^b²³⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-7| J: Hollie Doyle| T: J D Bethell| OR: 86

14/1

Progressive as a juvenile, winning at Wolverhampton and Haydock (both 7f) before being involved in a three-way tussle over C&D in the Blaydon Race Nursery; others appear open to a greater degree of improvement as 3yo's.

Form: 41D3D4-

(1)

Yoshimi²³⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-6| J: Barry McHugh| T: R A Fahey| OR: 85| BF

9/1

Broke his maiden in a moderate novice auction at Musselburgh (7f, good to firm) last September before making the frame in stronger races at Ayr (Western meeting) and York (season finale); stablemate of Embolden; needs a clear career best.

Form: 22123-

Non-Runners

(6)

Gravity Force²

Weight: 8-13| Age: 3

T: K R Burke J: C Lee

Forecasts

Palace Pier (11/10), Acquitted (2/1), Yoshimi (9/1), Monoski (12/1), Rich Belief (14/1), Gravity Force (14/1), He's A Keeper (16/1), Embolden (25/1)

Acquitted has very few shortcomings having already scored on an artificial surface (the Polytrack at Kempton) and he won't be at all troubled by this stiff mile. In an eight-runner handicap he appears certain to at least fill the frame (1,2,3) under the experienced handling of the AW Champion Ben Curtis. However, in the shape of the most exciting PALACE PIER he faces a stern opponent. John Gosden sends his unbeaten Kingman colt north for his seasonal (and AW) debut with the strong suspicion being that he'll be swiftly progressing far beyond the handicapping ranks.