19:00 Newcastle

Saturday 11 July 2020

All16:5017:2517:5518:3019:0019:3020:0020:3021:00

Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Handicap

Off time: 19:00 | Winning time: 1m 12.25s

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Selected odds by:

(1)

Aljari³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: D C Costello| T: M Botti| OR: 92| D

7/1

Keen racer; AW regular (3-7); has competed mainly over 7f in more recent times, keeping on strongly to down Zylan on the Fibresand at Southwell in February - now rated 3lb higher; 2-2 over 6f last season; low draw a slight concern.

Form: 152-014

(8)

Magical Spirit¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: S H James| T: K A Ryan| OR: 90| BF| CD

5/1

Can boast strong C&D form figures of 212, yet is now rated 9lb higher than when finishing a ½L second to shock winner Paddy Power in November; fluffed the start when finishing sixth of 12 (9-2f) in the Gosforth Park Cup latest.

Form: 6512-16

(4)

Staxton^p¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: D Allan| T: T D Easterby| OR: 87| CD

9/2

Always prominent down the centre when successful over C&D (Class 2) in June 2019; much less productive since, weakening late on in the equivalent race on Northumberland Plate Day here a fortnight ago; remains feasibly weighted.

Form: 5000-78

(3)

Danzan¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: D Fentiman| T: T D Easterby| OR: 85| D

50/1

Ex-Andrew Balding; has failed to sparkle in two runs to date (5f-6f) for the doubly-represented Tim Easterby; continues to ease sharply in the weights - has never run in a handicap off a mark this low (85) previously.

Form: 2364-90

(5)

Dunkerron¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: P Mulrennan| T: J Tuite| OR: 85| D

9/1

No win since his juvenile days (for Alan King), although he was a keeping on second to Polybius at Kempton (6f) last November, and is now rated 4lb lower; met some trouble in the run at Windsor (6f) latest; can't be discounted.

Form: 4026-68

(7)

Exchequer^p²⁷⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 9-0| J: Philip Prince| T: R C Guest| OR: 85| DWS

100/1

Most effective at Kempton Park (four wins there between 6f and 1m); his March 2018 C&D second came in a claimer; returns to action from a 276-day absence, and truthfully doesn't make any appeal against these type of opponents.

Form: 703738-

(10)

Dandys Gold⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 8-12| J: G Lee| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 83| CD

16/1

Shot clear when making a winning C&D debut (Class 4) for Roger Fell; didn't quite last home over the straight mile next time (second); may strip fitter for last week's spin at Hamilton Park (6f, soft); sits 7lb above last AW winning mark.

Form: 000-126

(9)

Edraak²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: S A Gray| T: M Appleby| OR: 83| BF| CD

10/3

Justified his January sale price of £13,000 by making an impressive C&D (novice) winning debut for Mick Appleby; disappointing on handicap bow (Class 4) at Doncaster subsequently; the Tapeta is projected to be riding quicker tonight; stiff mark?

Form: 2-10

(11)

Athollblair Boy¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 8-12| J: Faye McManoman⁽⁵⁾| T: N Tinkler| OR: 83| CD

7/1

Winning for the fifth time here (6f x4, 7f x1) when showing a smart turn of foot inside the final furlong to shoot clear of Glenamoy Lad; has a strong rapport with Faye McManoman, but sits just about on his ceiling handicap mark (83).

Form: 0-44196

(6)

Burford Brown¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: Hollie Doyle| T: D Loughnane| OR: 82| C

6/1

Dual 7f course winner (for Hugo Palmer); didn't see a great deal of competitive action for Robert Cowell after winning at Ascot (5f) in May 2019, joining this trainer for 18,000gns in late 2019; probably needed the run at Yarmouth 12 days ago.

Form: 1/5143-6

(2)

Foreseeable Future⁸³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: J P Sullivan| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 80| DWS

66/1

Displayed some useful juvenile/3yo form for James Tate in 2017/18; with new connections (cost 10,000gns) on return to action from a mammoth 831-day absence; gelded, and has had wind surgery ahead of his belated handicap debut; monitor only.

Form: 612/

Forecasts

Edraak (10/3), Staxton (9/2), Magical Spirit (5/1), Burford Brown (6/1), Aljari (7/1), Athollblair Boy (7/1), Dunkerron (9/1), Dandys Gold (16/1), Danzan (50/1), Foreseeable Future (66/1), Exchequer (100/1)

A race which features an array of previous course (or C&D) winners, including Staxton, Dandys Gold, Athollblair Boy, Burford Brown and Edraak. However, there are valid reasons to oppose each of that quintet, with Mick Appleby's charge thought particularly vulnerable from a stiff mark on a more conventional (quicker) Tapeta surface. In many ways, it could be argued that similar comments also apply to the selection MAGICAL SPIRIT, although the suspicion is that he's firmly on the upgrade. He fluffed the start when sent off 9-2f in the Gosforth Park Cup, and should relish the return to 6f. Aljari (2-2 over 6f) and Dunkerron merit respect.