ITV Racing Tips On All-Weather Finals Day: Three Bets At Newcastle
A busy Good Friday of racing is coming our way from Newcastle and Lingfield respectively, with some of the stars of the all-weather taking centre stage. Newcastle and AW Finals day is the headline attraction on the ITV Racing coverage and Billy Grimshaw has three to keep onside across the North East card...
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13:53 Newcastle - BetUK All-Weather Championships Marathon Handicap
The obvious place to start here is with favourite Spartan Army, who has beatings of a few in here already on his CV. He's a Highland Reel gelding, who we all remember thrived on his racing and was as tough as they come, so it makes sense this horse is favourite. He beat Prydwen and Vaguely Royal last time out, and although the first name got closer than the Gosdens representative I'd fancy him to perhaps reverse form with both considering his progressive profile and the way this race should well be run at a stamina sapping track like Newcastle.
None of this trio are my selection, however, as I think another horse vanquished by Spartan Army in the past PALACE BOY is a knocking each-way bet now he has a big swing in the weights with his conqueror last time out. The winner was a worthy first place last time the duo met, however with a muddling pace on in here I am hopeful Palace Boy is once again sent to the front by George Rooke but this time really takes it to his rivals.
The seven year old may not have the upside of some of the younger contenders in here but he is very solid and has a big chance of victory should the weight swing come into play. I can't see him out of the frame so will recommend backing him each-way but if you are a win-only punter, I won't put you off.
14:25 Newcastle - BetMGM All-Weather 3 Year Old Championships Handicap
FIRE DEMON has already been well supported as I type this piece, but I still think there's juice in the second favourite's price and he could well prove a class apart form this field in the future. He is regally bred and 87 looks more than fair on what he's done so far, if we exclude his penultimate run when he blew out at Lingfield when favourite.
To call this lad straightforward would be a flat out lie, however the Dark Angel colt out of a First Defence mare did seem to put everything together on his last run when an easy winner back at Kempton and although he has not won anywhere near as many races as you'd like considering his SPs, the fact the Juddmonte colt has been so strongly supported each time he has set foot on a track indicates the team like him a lot at home.
There is potential that, as is the case for a lot of horses, he just doesn't like Lingfield and now at a more straightforward track I'd be disappointed if he can't prove himself a much better proposition than an 87 rated horse. The manner of his victory last time out, absolutely cruising up before taking the lead in a calm manner, indicated the faith of his backers had been well placed and providing Andrew Balding has found the key to him he can win here before moving onto bigger and better things.
15:35 Newcastle - BetUK All-Weather Sprint Handicap
The race after this one looks a corker and the best spectacle of the day, but I found it desperately tricky to figure out. Hopefully Oh So Grand puts in another brilliant performance and scoops the pot, but before that we have this Sprint Handicap which also looks competitive, albeit with a stand-out bet in my eyes.
It is boring, but favourite COVER UP is surely better than his rating of 101. He is three from three thus far in his career on the all-weather and just looks to have loads going for him, be it his favourable draw or his trainer's solid record at the track.
The race is rammed full of hardened handicap level sprinters, who all warrant enormous respect and are capable of beating each other on their best day as they have proved time and time again. Cover Up, on the other hand, is lightly raced and rapidly improving, putting in a performance that was a career best last time out and one the clock watchers approved of. He is the definition of a Group horse in a handicap by my reckoning and while his win last time out was here over 5f, he was doing all his best work late so this step up in trip should suit.
The other with an unexposed profile is Solray, who I'd respect, but of this field there is surely only one who has the potential to make into a real Group sprinter and that is Cover Up, so despite the competitive nature of the race he rates as the Nap of the day.