Attheraces.com tipster Declan Rix has four horses to follow at Newcastle on November Handicap day – watch the action live on Sky Sports Racing with the first race due off at 11.45am.
1.30 – MAKINMEDOIT
A field of 13 go to post for this Listed fillies’ and mares’ race where the Godolphin-owned Veil Of Shadows heads the betting. The daughter of Frankel comes here on the back of a career-best in the Group Three Pride Stakes at Newmarket 29 days ago, but I’m still not sure she should be as short in the market, especially as the Charlie Appleby-trained inmate might face pace pressure from the likes of Lakota Sioux and Vera Verto.
A handful of other horses have chances but MAKINMEDOIT just gets the nod in the hope that returning to an all-weather surface will spark her back to life. The daughter of Golden Horn has plenty of quality efforts on an artificial surface.
Her early-year form at Lingfield in tactical races puts her bang in the mix here meaning I’d much rather play her around the 9/1 mark than the likes of Veil Of Shadows. The Harry Eustace inmate should get some pace to run at which will make Hayley Turner’s life easier from a sound draw in stall seven.
2.05 – BRAD THE BRIEF
As general odds of 7/4 suggest, Sense Of Duty is the horse to beat in the Listed Wentworth Stakes. But which Sense Of Duty will turn up; the horse who won last year’s Group Three Chipchase Stakes over this course and distance or the horse of 2023? If the former, she wins; if the latter, it’s a much more open race than the current market suggests.
BRAD THE BRIEF was once upon a time to the fore of the best sprinters of Europe, for all a mundane bunch historically, at the time. He has been a huge disappointment this year, but it was nice to see some fire in his belly last time out at Chantilly, where he travelled with real zest before never getting the chance to let himself down fully, Olivier Peslier having no room to operate.
The six-year-old son of Dutch Art has shown form on the all-weather previously to make him of interest here, especially if he is capable of using a good run 15 days ago as a springboard. With pace right across the track, he looks drawn perfectly in stall seven under David Egan.
Image:
Brad The Brief on his way to victory at the Curragh in 2022
3.45 – BERAZ
Horses to the fore in the market of this year’s November Handicap potentially have questions to answer. Will favourite Local Dynasty be just as good over 12f as a keen-goer? The recent gelding op will need to have helped. Will Mr Alan face stronger stayers over this trip late on?
Is Teumessias Fox only running here because the race was switched to the all-weather and will he be fit enough off an 86-day break? Can Chillingham overcome the widest draw of all?
My fancy BERAZ has questions to answer himself, namely will he be as effective on the all-weather having never raced on such a surface? That is the only doubt, as since joining Julie Camacho from Dan Skelton, the strapping five-year-old boasts form figures of 2101 under his new handler.
Last time out at Leicester, he did well to run down a progressive three-year-old of the Gosdens who had the run of the race. Not only that, but Beraz was brave to take a gap early in the straight before staying on well.
As a strong traveller who is perfectly drawn in four, he looks a player on recent turf form; while his classy Aga Khan distaff side of his pedigree suggests a mark of 91 is still not beyond him.
3.45 – PRYDWEN
As I have hopefully made a case for the November Handicap being a little bit more open than the market suggests, PRYDWEN is a flyer at a big price (around 20/1), who could run well for George Scott and Sean Levey.
I like the fact he is a proven stayer over this trip, especially if I happen to be right about some of the market leaders potentially not staying well over the stiff 12f Newcastle course. The son of Camelot will sport first-time cheekpieces which I hope will unlock further improvement about a horse who is already a three-time all-weather winner.
The five-year-old has never run here at Newcastle, but he’s a consistent horse who is still fairly treated and drawn well in stall six.
Watch all the action from Newcastle on Saturday live on Sky Sports Racing.