3 minute read
Imperium can rule supreme in the £20,000 Betway Handicap at Newcastle.
An appointment at the Gosforth Park circuit on Good Friday for All-Weather Finals Day is the plan for the Frankel gelding, who was a first winner for the father and son combination of Roger and Harry Charlton after taking out a joint licence.
That victory came at Kempton over two miles at the end of January, where he got the better of former prolific winner King's Advice by a length and three-quarters.
Sitting just off the pace in the four-runner field as favourite Oceanline – who had finished in front of the Charlton runner when they met previously – took them along, he was always travelling with intent and moved to the front with ease, only needing to be pushed out to score readily.
His all-weather record now sits at six wins from eights starts, five of them at Kempton, and there looks to be more to come yet from this imposing sort at a track that should suit.
Roxzoff looks a good bet to make it a hat-trick of wins in the Watch Racing Free Online At Coral Handicap.
He underwent a gelding operation in the summer of last year and returned in December, producing a couple of unplaced efforts before really finding his all-weather legs in winning at Wolverhampton and Southwell.
The Charlie Hills-trained runner was much the best at the Nottinghamshire circuit last time out – although favourite-backers might have had a brief moment of panic, with Kieran Shoemark forced to switch a couple of times approaching the furlong pole before getting in the clear.
Wise Eagle could be the one for the Read Katie Walsh On Betway Insider Handicap.
The Adam Nicol-trained five-year-old returned from 193 days off to run a race full of promise over this course and distance last month.
He threatened to take a major hand when wound up to challenge, but ultimately he fell a bit short in a close fourth.
There seems little doubt he will be sharper for that and if so then he must go close.
Jack Ryan can get his head in front in the second division of the MansionBet Beaten By A Head Classified Stakes at Southwell.
Trained by John Ryan, the Harbour Watch gelding is not blessed with a great strike-rate but he has run three decent races of late and did very little wrong last time out at Lingfield.
It got a bit bumpy for him rounding the home turn, which was not ideal, but he flew home and was only beaten two heads in third.
My Brother Mike is another for Southwell backers, in the MansionBet Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap.
Ludlow punters should side with Golden Whisky in the Forbra Gold Cup.
The Evan Williams-trained gelding can count a course victory among his four career wins, with his most recent coming at Chepstow in December.
He weakened after being ridden prominently in a better race at Ascot last time, which has seen the handicapper ease his mark slightly.
Golden Whisky is now only 2lb higher than when scoring at Chepstow and he looks sure to go well as he has his sights lowered a fraction on a course that clearly suits.
The Wye Valley Brewery Novices' Handicap Hurdle looks a good opportunity for Nicky Henderson's French recruit Balkeo to open his account.
Placed on a few occasions in his homeland, the five-year-old again had to make do with minor honours when finishing a distant third behind the talented Shallwehaveonemore on his British debut at Sandown.
Making his handicap bow from a perch of 120, Balkeo ought to be competitive.
It will be interesting to see how Dollar Bae fares in the Gold Cup & Grand National Lunches Open National Hunt Flat Race at Taunton.
Despite winning an Irish point-to-point by 33 lengths in the autumn, the Sageburg mare was snapped up for the relatively modest fee of £40,000 by Jonjo O'Neill.
She looks a good buy judged on her successful bumper debut at Wincanton – and if she can double her tally under Rules, she could well go in search of black type in the spring.
SELECTIONS:
CLONMEL: 2.20 Millyinthemiddle, 2.50 Full Noise, 3.20 Bravo Team, 3.51 Lily Of Dromard, 4.21 Patsy's Honour, 4.51 Rose Milan, 5.21 Clairmc.
LUDLOW: 1.00 Moneykenny, 1.30 Hidor De Bersy, 2.00 Karl Philippe, 2.30 Glimpse Of Gala, 3.00 Golden Whisky, 3.30 Balkeo, 4.00 Not That Fuisse.
NEWCASTLE: 2.15 Wise Eagle, 2.45 Tattered Flag, 3.16 Society Red, 3.46 IMPERIUM (NAP), 4.16 Roxzoff, 4.46 Old News.
SOUTHWELL: 5.00 Kobra, 5.30 My Brother Mike, 6.00 Magic Gem, 6.30 Jack Ryan, 7.00 Intuitive, 7.30 Igotatext, 8.00 Hector's Here, 8.30 Art Expert.
TAUNTON: 2.08 Iberio, 2.38 Don Alvaro, 3.08 South Mountain, 3.38 Paseo, 4.08 Smoking Pigeon, 4.38 Molly Carew, 5.08 Dollar Bae.
DOUBLE: Imperium and Roxzoff.
