16:45 Newcastle

Monday 1 January 2024

All14:0014:3515:1015:4516:1516:4517:15

Best Racing Odds Guaranteed At BetMGM Handicap

Off time: 16:46 | Winning time: 1m 12.97s

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Selected odds by:

(2)

Sommelier⁴²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: Marco Ghiani| T: M Botti| OR: 96| D

3/1

Won 8-runner event (1/6) at Kempton (6f) 42 days ago. Makes handicap debut now and he's a useful prospect.

Form: 411-

(10)

Brave Empire¹⁹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: J Mitchell| T: R Varian| OR: 95| D

5/4

Won 13-runner event at Redcar (6f, good to firm, 6/5) in June. Off 6 months. Makes handicap debut. Open to more improvement for top yard if all is well and stall 10 could be in his favour.

Form: 611-

(4)

G'day Mate¹²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Alistair Rawlinson| T: M Appleby| OR: 93

33/1

Lightly-raced winner. Sold from Mrs J. Harrington 50,000 gns in September. Makes handicap debut. 6f should suit but he returns in a tough race with improvement needed.

Form: 2150-

(5)

Neapolitan^t¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Harry Davies| T: S & E Crisford| OR: 88| D

7/1

Winner at Kempton in October. Good second of 7 in nursery (6/1) at Wolverhampton (7.2f) 14 days ago. Should go well again.

Form: 61222-

(3)

Harvanna¹⁷³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: C Lee| T: K R Burke| OR: 86

16/1

Progressive filly when last seen in the summer, defying a penalty at Yarmouth (5.2f, 9/4) in good style. She should have more to offer now handicapping on AW debut if all is well.

Form: 311-

(8)

Blue Prince¹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Finley Marsh| T: P D Evans| OR: 85| D

11/2

10/3, career best when winning 8-runner nursery at Southwell (6.1f) 11 days ago, kept up to work. This is tougher but he can't be dismissed.

Form: 636481-

(1)

Bazball^v²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-5| J: Hollie Doyle| T: K R Burke| OR: 78

14/1

Three wins from 13 runs last year. Latest win at Chester in September. Creditable second of 12 in nursery at Lingfield (7f, AW, 6/1) 26 days ago. Consistency hard to knock and she looked unlucky over C&D in November.

Form: 116242-

(7)

Loaded Gun¹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-3| J: D Fentiman| T: A M Balding| OR: 76

25/1

Winner at Chester in July. Creditable 1¾ lengths third of 8 to Blue Prince in nursery at Southwell (6.1f, 11/1) 11 days ago. More needed.

Form: 315943-

(6)

Callianassa¹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-2| J: Cam Hardie| T: B Ellison| OR: 72

100/1

Fair maiden. 28/1 and cheekpieces on for 1st time, 6 lengths last of 8 to Blue Prince in nursery at Southwell (6.1f) 11 days ago. Hard to fancy.

Form: 753468-

(9)

I'm Spartacus²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-2| J: Tyler Heard⁽³⁾| T: R A Fahey| OR: 71| CD

33/1

C&D winner. Fourth of 7 in nursery (22/1) at Kempton (6f) 26 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 371734-

Forecasts

Brave Empire (5/4), Sommelier (3/1), Blue Prince (11/2), Neapolitan (7/1), Bazball (14/1), Harvanna (16/1), Loaded Gun (25/1), I'm Spartacus (33/1), G'day Mate (33/1), Callianassa (100/1)

A useful 3-y-o sprint handicap that can go to SOMMELIER who has won his last 2 starts in 6f AW events in good style and can improve further now handicapping. His race-fitness could count for plenty against the returning Brave Empire and Harvanna, who both look decent sprinting prospects if all is well.