2026 Newcastle & York Saturday Preview – DS
2026 Newcastle & York Saturday Preview
It felt like Royal Ascot was a disaster as we didn’t get a winner but we landed a few nice places so it wasn’t actually that bad, though it obviously would have been better if we had landed a winner with Spicy Marg. Hopefully Dave Stevos can put that right this weekend, his 2026 Newcastle & York Saturday tips are below.
1.40 Newcastle – Education Network Handicap (Class 2)
The last time we were racing at Newcastle we found The Glen Rovers at 33s. Hopefully we can repeat the dose. My first bet today is going to be on a horse we have a chequered history with, the Richard Hannon trained Witch Hunter.
The son of Siyouni comes into the race with three duck eggs beside his name but I am hoping that the return to Gosforth Park might just spark something in him. He is a former C&D winner (off 97) and his last win came at this venue too over 1m off 101 back in January.
He’s been well beaten on turf on his last three starts but every cloud has a silver lining and his mark has now dropped to a very tempting 96. He boasts course form figures of 236119 and on the most recent occasion he finished out of the first three here in March, he was only beaten 5.5l under what I would describe as a ‘strange’ Jamie Spencer ride.
High drawn horses have a poor record in this race but this lad will be dropped out so it hopefully won’t make much difference. What’s more important is whether he’s in the mood or not and if he is, Witch Hunter is capable of running a big race off 96. At 28/1, he’s worth chancing e/w.
2026 Newcastle & York Saturday tip: Witch Hunter e/w @ 28/1 (4 places)
1.55 York – Dubai Mile Handicap (Class 3)
I used to love backing horses at York but for some reason, it hasn’t been kind to me recently. Hopefully, that changes this weekend but it won’t be in this middling class 3 handicap. No bet.
2026 Newcastle & York Saturday tip: No bet
2.10 Newcastle – Chipcase Stakes (Group 3)
After much deliberation, I eventually came down on Heathcliff for this 6f G3. A C&D handicap winner, he has come up short on turf the last twice since running a fine race here on AW champs day, finishing fourth over C&D off a mark of 105. He was racing off the same weight as Ferrous, who was 2.5l behind him in fifth, yet he is 11/1 and Heathcliff can be backed at 25/1.
This 5yo son of Iffraaj was well beaten on his last try in stakes company, over 7f at Haydock, but when he ran in a listed heat at Wolverhampton in March, again over 7f, he ran a cracker to finish a 0.5l second at 20/1 behind Cook Hoof Luke.
This is a higher grade admittedly, but Heathcliff goes well here (C&D form figures 21474) and he’s a better horse than he’s shown the last twice. At the prices, he is worth backing each way.
2026 Newcastle & York Saturday tip: Heathcliff e/w @ 25/1 (4 places)
2.25 York – Dash Handicap (Class 2)
The one I came down on in this sprint is the Tim Easterby trained Hanney Girl. This filly has won two of her twelve starts, her most recent success coming off a mark of 70 at Ripon last August.
She’s been running respectably without really threatening to win this season but one of her best runs came when beaten 2l into fifth of 17 over C&D (good) back in May and that was off a mark of 79. She is 3lb lower now so on that form, she is handicapped to go close here.
My main reason for fancying this filly, however, is the ground. We are in the middle of a heatwave so the ground should be rattling quick at York and it is probably no coincidence that both of Hanney Girl’s wins came when she has had good to firm ground.
This will be the first time she has had her optimal conditions since her win at Ripon and she shaped as though she was still in decent form when weakening late on in the 3yo dash at Epsom. At odds of 22/1, Hanney’s Girl is the each way selection.
2026 Newcastle & York Saturday tip: Hanney’s Girl e/w @ 22/1 (4 places)
2.40 Newcastle – Northumberland Vase Handicap (Class 2)
Karl Thornton sends Boxing Great over from North Dublin for this consolation for the big one and I think he’s a fascinating runner. By Midi, a sire I have never heard of, he won a handicap at Dundalk over 2m on his final start of 2025 off a mark of 71.
After a 140 day break this 6yo returned with a pretty decent effort in the consolation race for the Chester Cup. Yes, he finished ninth but he was less than 8l behind the winner and given that Robbie Colgan was riding, I’m not sure he was there to win.
Colgan was again on board for his last start at Fairyhouse over 1m6f. The way he rode the horse suggested, again, that he wasn’t there to win and I am guessing that Thornton has been getting this horse fit for a tilt at a big prize on the AW, which this is. Adam Caffrey, who was on board when he won at Dundalk, is back in the plate, he’s well drawn and the step back up to 2m should suit.
Granted luck in running, Boxing Great can hopefully hit the frame here at odds of 22/1.
2026 Newcastle & York Saturday tip: Boxing Great e/w @ 22/1 (5 places) NAP
3.15 Newcastle – Northumberland Plate Handicap (Heritage)
I was going to put Tribal Star up for this but asking for two North County Dublin trained winners is probably a bit much. I do think he’ll run well and he has solid course form in the book but he is probably handicapped about right so winning might be difficult.
In the end, I have decided to go with Sir Mark Prescott’s son of Solider Hollow, Synergism. He ran a cracker when narrowly denied over C&D back in August of last year and I’d imagine, ever since then, that this has been the plan.
That run came off 84, and he’s 8lb higher now after his reappearance win in a four runner race on good ground at Lingfield, but he wouldn’t have got into this race without that 5lb penalty so, while I am usually reluctant to tip up last time out winners in a handicap, I am making an exception here.
Only a 4yo, he could still have untapped potential and he’s been drawn nicely enough in stall 9. I’d imagine the money will come if Prescott fancies him, so at odds of 14/1 Synergism is worth backing e/w. If Tribal Star drifts to 25s or bigger, I’ll be having a little e/w on him too.
