Newcastle and Lingfield Friday Preview – DS
Newcastle and Lingfield Friday Racing Tips
We landed just the one winner at Newmarket on Wednesday. Double Or Bubble did the business at 7/1 but the rest of our bets weren’t as good. Robjon wasn’t dropped out as I had hoped and he ended up finishing just outside the places in 5th. American Flag needed the experience badly and Zechariah ran better than his finishing positions suggests. He just wants further. It is All Weather finals day on Good Friday and there is plenty of competitive action on the menu. Check out Dave Stevos’ Newcastle and Lingfield Friday racing tips below.
2.00 Newcastle – All-Weather Mile Championships Stakes (Class 2)
First up on All-Weather Finals day is this 8f heat. A field of 11 are due to line up in the stalls and at 16/1, Freescape is the one I am interested in. David Marnane’s stable star was last sighted running into 7th over 9f in a Meydan G1. That wasn’t his best form but previously, he was only 2L behind Lord Glitters in a G2 over the same C&D. It was a cracking effort and the return to 8f on the all-weather is sure to suit.
On his last all weather start over a mile he won off 88 at Dundalk. He is a better horse on artificial surfaces, as his record illustrates. He is 0/27 on grass compared to 5/12 on the all-weather. His form figures on the AW over a mile read 7121. The fact he ran so well on turf at Meydan is hugely encouraging and this looks an ideal race for him. He is rated 103, which means he’ll need to run at least as well as he did behind Lord Glitters to feature. With a rating of 113, My Oberon is obviously the one to beat but at 20s, Freescape has the ability to figure if he is on a going day.
Newcastle and Lingfield Friday Tips: Freescape e/w @ 20/1 (4 places Hills)
2.20 Lingfield – All-Weather Vase Sprint Handicap (Class 2)
At odds of 14/1, perhaps Mighty Gurkha can go well over a C&D he enjoys. Trained by Archie Watson, it looks to me like this 4yo son of Sepoy has been trained for this race. This time a year ago he was rated 103 and he ran a cracker at this meeting in the 3yo 6f race. He was just 2L behind Diligent Harry (now rated 109) off level weights and he is back for this handicap off a rating of just 88.
His mark has dropped due to a string of poor runs on grass last season. He returned to action with another below par effort at Wolves in March (beat 7L off 93). However, he definitely showed a bit more last time at Southwell when beat just 2.75L by Dave Dexter off 90. He was only 1.5L behind Shallow Hal in 3rd and he is 2lbs better off with him today.
On both those runs Mighty Gurkha was ridden with restraint. However, all three of his wins and his best placed efforts have come when he has made the pace. Hopefully they’ll revert to those tactics at Lingfield. His C&D record is 12 and if he breaks well from stall 8 and Luke Morris can tack across to get a decent position, a big run could be on the cards at odds of 20/1.
Newcastle and Lingfield Friday Tips: Mighty Gurkha e/w @ 20/1 (4 places)
2.35 Newcastle – All-Weather Sprint Championships Stakes (Class 2)
I think Venturous is overpriced in this at 16/1. He owes us nothing having won for us at 40s at York last season. That came in a handicap off a mark of 95 but he is probably a stone better at Newcastle than he is on the turf. This late bloomer loves it on Tyneside. He has had eight starts at the Northeastern track and apart from a poor run on his first ever visit, he has form figures of 1211611 at this course.
Last time out he produced what was arguably a near career best over C&D. He only beat Judicial (rated 105) by 0.5L but the win was a lot easier than the distance suggests. Previously he beat Mondammej by 1.25L over 5f here and he should be able to uphold the form on the same terms.
David and Nicola Barron couldn’t have their string in much better form. Their last five runners have produced form figures of 21312. I’d imagine Venturous has been trained with this race in mind and Connor Beasley keeps the faith. If he can repeat the level of form he showed the last twice, Venturous should be hard to keep out of the frame at 16/1.
Newcastle and Lingfield Friday Tips: Venturous e/w @ 16/1 NB (4 Places)
2.55 Lingfield – All-Weather Vase 3yo Handicap (Class 2)
This looks to be a race chock full of early pace. Neptune Legend, Resilience, Zameka and Red Showgirl are four horses who like to be up there so I am going to take a chance on one that should be finishing strongly from off the pace. One that fits the bill is the George Boughey trained son of Aclaim, AL Ameen. This fella scored on his second career start, landing a Southwell maiden on New Year’s Day. A cracking run over 6f at this track followed in a Novice before he ran another blinder dropped back to 5f on his handicap debut at Wolves.
The horse that beat him by 0.75L over today’s C&D won a handicap next time off 75 and then went close off 78. Al Ameen was conceding 5lbs to him so his mark of 77 looks more than fair. George Boughey’s horses are running well and Ben Curtis is an eye-catching jockey booking. He has ridden 79 horses for this yard, yielding 18 winners and 36 top 4 finishes. That’s a frame hitting strike rate of 68%. At odds of 12/1, hopefully Al Ameen enhances that record on Good Friday.
Newcastle and Lingfield Friday Tips: Al Ameen e/w @ 12/1 NAP (4 places)
3.10 Newcastle – 3yo All-Weather Championships Stakes (Class 2)
He has probably been written off because he isn’t from a glamorous yard but Annaf has done very little wrong so far and he could outrun his current odds of 28/1. Trained by Mick Appleby, this son of Muhaarar is rated 89. That leaves him with a chunk to find with the top rated ones. However, after just three starts, there could be plenty more to come from this fella.
He won two of those starts, including his debut over this C&D. He won a 5f contest last time out and sandwiched between those runs was a decent effort behind Kaboo at Kempton. Going round the bend didn’t suit him and he’ll be much more at home on the straight track at Newcastle, where he is 2/2.
He has just under 3L to find with Kaboo, who is an 8/1 shot here. If they were going around a bend you’d fancy the Burke horse to confirm that form. However, on this track I would fancy Annaf to close the gap markedly. I really liked how straightforward he looked when powering clear over 5f last time and at odds of 28/1, he looks well worth chancing e/w.
Newcastle and Lingfield Friday Tips: Annaf e/w @ 28/1
3.45 Newcastle – All-Weather Fillies and Mares Championships Stakes (Class 2)
Just seven runners and a race that makes very little appeal from a betting perspective. The top two are well clear on the figures and on paper, it looks between that pair. The rest of them will have to improve 12/13lbs to trouble the market leaders. Of the bigger priced ones, Fauvette could outrun her odds of 16/1 back in these slightly calmer waters but she’s probably playing for 3rd at best. No bet.
Newcastle and Lingfield Friday Tips: No Bet
4.00 Lingfield – All-Weather Vase Mile Handicap (Class 2)
A maximum field of 12 will go to post in this 8f handicap. It is an ultra-competitive heat and a case can be made for the majority of them. This is another contest that should be run at a decent gallop. The likes of Karibana, Shoot To Kill, Proclaimer, Mykonos St John and Invincibly will be keen to be forward early and again, I am going to hope it sets up for a closer.
At 25/1, Lequinto is a hold up sort that should be finishing off better than some of the others. Trained by in form Tony Carroll, Midge Mullen will ride this 5yo son of Requinto. He has produced his best form at Wolves over the winter but he didn’t shape too badly on either of his Lingfield runs, the races just weren’t really run to suit.
Last time out he ran a cracker in a five runner affair at Wolves (8.5f) off 83. He was beat just a neck by Civil Law and Lammas, who was 4L back in 4th effectively running off 80, won easy off 82 next time and subsequently got touched off at Lingfield off 87 (now rated 89). Off a mark of 84, Lequinto is worth taking a chance on at 25/1.
Newcastle and Lingfield Friday Tips: Lequinto e/w @ 25/1 (4 Places)
4.15 Newcastle – All-Weather Marathon Championships Stakes (Class 2)
The one I like at a decent each way price in this 16f contest is Nate The Great. Trained by Andrew Balding, this stayer has been in solid form throughout the winter months. Since a poor effort in the Cesarewitch he has run five races on the all-weather. He finished 4th, 2nd, 2nd and 3rd before deservedly getting his head in front over today’s C&D last month.
He showed plenty of grit and determination to get the better of Onesmoothoperator by a short head and he re-opposes today. Balding’s inmate was giving that rival 6lbs and he is only giving him 2lbs today so he should be able to uphold the form. The likes of Sleeping Lion and Rainbow Dreamer probably have better overall form but if Nate The Great can reproduce the level he showed here last time out, he could sneak into the money at odds of 14/1.
