Round Four Racing League Preview 2023 - Newcastle Meeting

The first selection of the evening at Newcastle on round four of the 2023 Racing League comes in the 12.5f Class 4 Handicap and Wynter Wildes is a solid shout to hit the frame.

A winner over C&D in the Racing League off 2lbs lower last year, he then went up in the handicap and struggled slightly, but getting back to his best form of late and back at a C&D he handles well gives him claims.

A winner at Haydock four starts ago over 11.5f off a mark of 77, he then went to Carlisle on soft ground and didn't handle the surface.

Back at Newcastle over C&D, he got back to winning ways with a strong staying performance off 1lb lower than his mark on Thursday.

Last seen at Windsor in the last round of the Racing League off a mark of 81, he finish just over a length behind the winner in fifth and being dropped 1lb for that run gives him a big chance back on tapeta.

Next up is the Class 4 Nursery Handicap over 7f and Ebt's Guard for William Muir & Chris Grassick who now steps into the handicap sphere and could be better than a mark of 78.

Making his debut over 6f at Leicester when running a credible race back in sixth, keeping on well over the trip suggesting a step up 7f would suit him better.

Back at the same track up a furlong, he did not improve on his first run with the event looking more competitive, but when last seen at Kempton he finished less than a length back in second behind a nice type in Savvy Kingdom and making his handicap debut in this event leaves him open to more improvement.

Interesting runner back on an all weather surface.

Another competitive handicap follows over the same 7f and we are giving a chance to the Stuart Williams trained Dionysian.

Finishing off his juvenile season last term with two straight wins over a mile at Kempton when bolting up by just under six lengths in a fair Novice Stakes, he then backed that up under a penalty over the same C&D when scoring by two lengths.

Back this season he was sent into Handicaps and off a marks of 87 and 85 struggled in all three events on turf, not running to the level he set last time out.

Given a gelding operation, he returned at Kempton when last seen earlier in August and finished a much better fourth off a mark of 82.

Dropped a further 1lb for this event and showing he acts better on an all weather surface, the gelding operation looks to have done the trick and he could build on that run.

The Class 4 Handicap over 6f comes next and we like two at each way prices that can hit the frame starting with Hydration for Harry & Roger Charlton.

Showing his promise on his final start as a juvenile last term when landing a Novice Stakes over 7f at Kempton, he came back this term and giving weight away to his two rivals that finished ahead of him it was a pleasing first run back.

Getting back to winning ways at Ffos Las on Handicap debut off a mark of 75 over 6f on good ground, he then went to Lingfield and was a narrow third off 4lb higher.

Back to winning ways off the same mark when last seen at Doncaster in a Class 3 Handicap, he now runs off 4lb higher in a worse race and should keep progressing.

At a slightly bigger price and a horse we are giving another chance to getting back to the all weather is the George Boughey trained Conquistador.

The gelding joined George Boughey from John & Thady Gosden in December last year and on yard debut got off the mark for his career when landing a 5f Novice Stakes at Wolverhampton, beating the progressive Radio Goo Goo on Boxing Day.

He went up to 6f at Lingfield next time out on handicap debut and made it back to back wins in good style off a mark of 83.

Up 3lb for that win and back down to 5f at Royal Ascot in the Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes, he managed to finish a good second behind the two runaway leaders.

Seen once more off the same mark at Newmarket in July he stumbled at the start and it seemed to ruin his chances, so he can be excused for that run.

Dropped 1lb to a mark of 85 and with Billy Loughnane taking off a further 3lb, he was essentially racing off 1lb lower than his last winning mark last time out and put up a decent effort to finish just over a length back in third at Windsor in the last round of the Racing League.

Down a further 1lb and Loughnane booked again, he should go closer currently being unbeaten on an artificial surface.

Race 26 in this years Racing League sees the 1m2f Class 3 Handicap and Miami Thunder for Daryll Holland is the form pick in the race.

Moving from Ireland to Holland this season, he has been twice for this new trainer and has been pleasing on both his efforts.

A winner on yard debut over a mile at Newcastle when landing a Class 4 Handicap by just under seven lengths, he then raced over the same C&D when last seen and finished a short head second to Starshiba off 10lb higher.

This is a tougher event and he does race off a further 2lb higher mark, but his pedigree suggests he will suit the step up in trip and he looks one of the more likely winners.

The penultimate event of the evening at Newcastle on Thursday is the Class 3 Handicap over a mile and we can't look past Parlando for Ian Williams.

A smart type for Charlie Appleby last season when making his debut at Leicester over 7f and getting off the mark, he was then seen once more as for Godolphin and on his three year old debut was a neck second at Kempton over a mile.

Sold for £105,000 and given to Ian Williams, he made his debut this term at Newmarket when a close third on handicap debut behind the consistent Gweedore.

Racing off the same mark of 85, being very unexposed still he looks the type that will improve the more he runs and is a fascinating contender in an easier race than his seasonal/yard debut when last seen.

The final event of the afternoon is the feature race of the meeting with the Class 2 Handicap over 5f and we have played two experience runners to go close.

The first is the David O'Meara trained Alligator Alley who recently saw his handicap mark drop to the low 90s having still been running to a good level.

A close third three starts ago at Doncaster behind Mondammej and Bond Chairman off a mark of 94, he then went to Goodwood and ran well in soft conditions to finish another good third behind the well handicapped Lord Riddiford who was winning the race for a third straight year.

Dropped a further 1lb for that run to a mark of 92, he was a neck second when last seen at York to the talented Equilateral who was a group horse in a handicap.

Going down a further 1lb for this event to a mark of 91, he has shown he is in good form and this race is much easier than that at York's Ebor meeting.

The one to beat.

At a bigger price getting back to a track he is unbeaten at is Batal Dubai for trainers Harry & Roger Charlton who does need to improve on his last run but can do back here.

Needing his first run of the season at Windsor when seventh in a decent handicap beaten less than three lengths, he was not at his best despite running credibly.

That run set him perfectly at Newcastle over a course and distance he had previously scored at before, but this time in better company he came from last to first to land a hot handicap by a head.

Only up 4lb for that run he was off the track for over two months and he might have needed his run back after that break when disappointing last time out at Ascot in the Shergar Cup.

He now heads back to Newcastle down to a mark of 91 and although tackling 5f for the first time he does not lack speed.

Unbeaten at Newcastle on both his runs at the track to date gives him big claims.