15:45 Newcastle

Friday 8 December 2023

All15:1015:4516:1516:4517:1517:4518:1518:45

Win 2,000,000 With BetMGM's Golden Goals Handicap

Off time: 15:48 | Winning time: 1m 41.79s

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(9)

Hortzadar^p³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 9-12| J: Mark Winn⁽³⁾| T: D O'Meara| OR: 78| CD

13/2

22/1, won 11-runner handicap at this C&D 5 weeks ago by neck from Star Shield, staying on to lead last ½f. Nudged up just 2 lb for that success and should be involved once again.

Form: 601201

(3)

Crownthorpe^p³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 9-12| J: Archie Young⁽⁷⁾| T: A D Brown| OR: 78| CD

25/1

C&D winner. 3 wins from 8 runs this year. 33/1, probably needed the run after 6 months off when last of 12 in handicap at this C&D 31 days ago.

Form: 411520

(5)

Alexander James^p¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-11| J: T Eaves| T: M Herrington| OR: 77| CD

18/1

C&D winner. Latest win at Beverley in July. 18/1, looked rusty after 12 weeks off when eighth of 11 in handicap at Southwell (8.1f) 2 weeks ago.

Form: 316798

(4)

Dragons Will Rise⁵¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 9-11| J: Aiden Brookes⁽⁵⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 77| CD

80/1

4-time course winner. Eight wins from 25 Flat runs. 11/1, last of 7 in handicap at Hamilton (9.2f, good to firm). Off 17 months. Will most likely need this.

Form: 131537-

(8)

Million Thanks^t³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Morgan Cole⁽⁵⁾| T: R Menzies| OR: 73| D

9/1

Sixteen runs since last win in 2022. 20/1, again ran below form when 3¼ lengths ninth of 11 to Hortzadar in handicap at this C&D 5 weeks ago.

Form: 270089

(7)

Trais Fluors²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 9-7| J: Tommie Jakes⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss L A Perratt| OR: 73| CD

11/2

First run since leaving Jack Channon (17,000 gns) when won 11-runner handicap at this C&D (7/2) 24 days ago, produced to lead final 1f. Just 3 lb higher here so every chance he will be in the shake-up.

Form: 777321

(11)

Star Shield^p³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 9-6| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 72| CD

9/2

C&D winner. Ran well when neck second of 11 to Hortzadar in handicap (8/1) at this C&D 5 weeks ago, running on. Enters calculations.

Form: 540862

(2)

Khathak^t,v¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: D Nolan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 71| D

11/1

Temperamental sort. Eleven runs since last win in 2021. Fared better than of late when fifth of 9 in handicap at Wolverhampton (7.2f, 18/1) 13 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 783025

(10)

Open Choice^b1¹³³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: P J McDonald| T: E Bethell| OR: 72

9/2

Lightly-raced maiden. 14/1, eighth of 10 on handicap debut at Ascot (12f, good to soft) 4 months ago. Significantly back down in trip. Blinkers on 1st time.

Form: 4348

(12)

Showmedemoney^p,t³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: A Mullen| T: I Jardine| OR: 71| CD

10/1

C&D winner. 3 wins from 15 runs this year. Latest at Carlisle in September. Ran one of this season's better races when ¾-length third of 11 to Hortzadar in handicap at this C&D (14/1) 5 weeks ago. Can make presence felt.

Form: 061033

(6)

Vindobala^t³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Joanna Mason| T: S England| OR: 71| BF| CD

11/2

Unreliable sort. 5-time course winner. Refused to race for the third time this year in handicap (10/3) at this C&D 5 weeks ago. Tough to support with much confidence.

Form: 3R941R

(1)

Flag Flying^e/c,h1,t¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Laura Pearson| T: D Loughnane| OR: 70

66/1

66/1, last of 9 in handicap at Wolverhampton (6.1f) 13 days ago. Significantly up in trip. Hooded for 1st time.

Form: 8-00689

Forecasts

Star Shield (9/2), Open Choice (9/2), Trais Fluors (11/2), Vindobala (11/2), Hortzadar (13/2), Million Thanks (9/1), Showmedemoney (10/1), Khathak (11/1), Alexander James (18/1), Crownthorpe (25/1), Flag Flying (66/1), Dragons Will Rise (80/1)

TRAIS FLUORS made a winning start in gutsy fashion for this yard over C&D last month, and with a 7 lb claimer more than negating a small rise in the weights, Linda Perratt's 9-y-o is taken to follow up at the expense of Star Shield, who found only stablemate Hortzadar too strong over C&D 5 weeks ago. Showmedemoney and Open Choice are another couple to consider in what looks a wide-open contest.