18:15 Newcastle

Tuesday 14 January 2025

All15:3816:1316:4517:1517:4518:1518:45

BetMGM: It's Showtime Handicap

Off time: 18:15 | Winning time: 1m 43.11s

Settings

Selected odds by:

(6)

Paris Lights¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-9| J: D Nolan| T: P T Midgley| OR: 68| CD

7/2

Unreliable sort. 11/2, won 11-runner handicap at this C&D 17 days ago, driven out. 3 lb rise not the end of the world but it remains to be seen if he'll be in the same form here.

Form: 305351-

(3)

Mambha^b²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Warren Fentiman⁽⁷⁾| T: M Dods| OR: 67| CD

25/1

Dual C&D winner, the latest in November. 15/8, fourth of 6 in handicap at this C&D 24 days ago, slowly away. Likely to come up short once again.

Form: 291514-

(5)

Bird Of Play²⁶⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Alistair Rawlinson| T: L Bailey| OR: 65

100/1

First run since leaving Ivan Furtado when last of 14 in handicap at Musselburgh (8f, good to soft, 9/1), slowly away. Off 8 months and he has a fair bit to prove at present, not least suitability of this surface (safely held both previous starts on the AW).

Form: 23747/0-

(7)

Tasever^p⁶^{(ex 5)}

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Ryan Kavanagh⁽⁷⁾| T: P Morris| OR: 60| CD

2/1

6/1, career best when winning 10-runner handicap at this course (7.1f) 6 days ago, driven out. Likely to give it a good shot under a penalty.

Form: 11773-1

(8)

Cusack^p¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: Sean Kirrane| T: D Thompson| OR: 64| CD

7/2

Three-time C&D winner. Eleven runs since last win in 2024. Creditable third of 9 in handicap (14/1) at this course (10.2f) 17 days ago, well positioned. Back down in trip and he needs considering.

Form: 088943-

(2)

Profitman^t⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: Billy Loughnane| T: B Brookhouse| OR: 64

6/1

Three wins from 16 runs last year, the latest at Chelmsford in December. 7/1, creditable fifth of 12 in handicap at Kempton (8f) 6 days ago, not ideally placed. Looks competitive on form.

Form: 2614D-5

(1)

Miners Gamble^p¹²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Harry Russell| T: B Ellison| OR: 63

14/1

Winner at Musselburgh in August. Creditable third of 13 in handicap at Doncaster (10.2f, good to soft, 6/1), slowly away. Off 121 days and drops back down in trip here. Looks vulnerable.

Form: 257413-

(9)

Rob's Umberella^v²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: Cam Hardie| T: R A Fahey| OR: 58

28/1

Respectable sixth of 11 in handicap at Wolverhampton (7.2f, 17/2) 25 days ago. Others make more appeal for win purposes.

Form: 000726-

(4)

Commander Crouch¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: Ethan Jones⁽⁵⁾| T: G Tutty| OR: 56

17/2

One win from 27 Flat runs. Creditable fourth of 10 in handicap at Southwell (8.1f, 4/1) 11 days ago, never nearer. Solid each-way chance.

Form: 09352-4

Forecasts

Tasever (2/1), Cusack (7/2), Paris Lights (7/2), Profitman (6/1), Commander Crouch (17/2), Miners Gamble (14/1), Mambha (25/1), Rob's Umberella (28/1), Bird Of Play (100/1)

The vote goes to TASEVER, who looked better than ever when striking over 7f here last week and it makes sense that connections are getting him out again quickly, as it's highly likely that he'll go up by more than the 5 lb penalty he carries in this contest when reassessed. Profitman wasn't beaten far when fifth at Kempton recently and he is feared most ahead of Commander Crouch and Cusack.