March 12 / 17.00 Newcastle (AW)

17.00

Standard

BetUK. Home Of The Acca Handicap

  • Prize money: £4815.28
  • 1m 4f 98y
  • Class 6
  • 5 runners
SKY
View Course
BetUK. Home Of The Acca Handicap

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Flat AW

Surface: Tapeta

Weather: Cloudy

OUR TIP

5/2 (Won)

  • Win: £3.75
  • Place: £1.60

Form: -54217 CD

Last run: 18 days

W: 9st 8lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 61

Form & Verdict
Five-time course winner, three of them over tonight's trip, latterly off 2lb lower last month; hit traffic in a messy affair at Wolverhampton latest and, while a bigger field would have been ideal (is usually dropped in and can pull), he's shortlisted.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

(7)

25th Mar 2024

Standard

1m 4f 98y

Class 5

16:30 Newcastle (AW)

Bobby Shaftoe

9st 6lb

J: Paul Mulrennan

T: Jim Goldie

took keen hold, held up in rear, pulled up quickly over 4f out, broke down

5/2

1st

2

(1)

23rd Mar 2024

Standard

1m 4f 98y

Class 6

17:30 Newcastle (AW)

Bobby Shaftoe

9st 11lb

J: Paul Mulrennan

T: Jim Goldie

ducked left start, held up in last, smooth headway over 2f out, going easily but waiting for room against near rail over 1f out, soon switched left, pushed along and squeezed through to lead inside final furlong, readily

6/4

1st

2

(2)

12th Mar 2024

Standard

1m 4f 98y

Class 6

17:00 Newcastle (AW)

Bobby Shaftoe

9st 8lb

J: Paul Mulrennan

T: Jim Goldie

Five-time course winner, three of them over tonight's trip, latterly off 2lb lower last month; hit traffic in a messy affair at Wolverhampton latest and, while a bigger field would have been ideal (is usually dropped in and can pull), he's shortlisted.

5/2

6/4

  • Place: £1.30

Form: /59112 D BF

Last run: 18 days

W: 9st 7lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 60

Form & Verdict
Latest handicap effort at least on a par with her two classified wins last month; is straightforward and in form, so has a decent chance of defying a further 3lb rise in the weights.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

2

(1)

5th Apr 2025

Standard

1m 5f 219y

Class 6

20:15 Wolverhampton (AW)

Bella Bluesky

9st 8lb

J: Jason Hart

T: Ewan Whillans

in touch with leaders

16/1

7th

2

(1)

5th Apr 2025

Standard

1m 5f 219y

Class 6

20:15 Wolverhampton (AW)

Bella Bluesky

9st 8lb

J: Jason Hart

T: Ewan Whillans

in touch with leaders

16/1

5th

4

(2)

10th Mar 2025

Standard

1m 4f 98y

Class 6

17:30 Newcastle (AW)

Bella Bluesky

9st 6lb

J: P J McDonald

T: Ewan Whillans

raced in last throughout

14/1

6/1

Form: /69-87 D

Last run: 36 days

W: 9st 11lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 64

Form & Verdict
String of poor efforts on the Flat and over hurdles since returning from an absence, including back in the cheekpieces latest; is now 8lb lower than when winning at Southwell 18 months ago but for good reason.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

1

(3)

23rd May 2026

Good To Firm

1m 2f 0y

Class 6

19:30 Windsor

Night Bear

9st 9lb

J: Neil Callan

T: Tony Carroll

Four-time turf winner who last scored at Brighton (1m4f, good to firm; has won at this trip) two years ago; went close on two occasions at 1m3f (visored) during latest AW campaign but his latest effort when last of ten at Southwell (1m4f; raced freely) wasn't an ideal springboard for this switch back to grass; blinkers (has won in them before) go back on.

8/1

10th

10

(9)

28th Apr 2026

Standard

1m 4f 14y

Class 6

16:05 Southwell (AW)

Night Bear

9st 2lb

J: Jack Doughty

T: Tony Carroll

Just 1-30 on the AW, but the win came over C&D and he was only beaten a head by Jack Andrea here (1m3f) last month; 5lb pull makes him a player even though his losing run is mounting up.

11/2

2nd

2

(9)

28th Mar 2026

Standard

1m 3f 23y

Class 6

20:00 Southwell (AW)

Night Bear

9st 8lb

J: William Carson

T: Tony Carroll

Only 1-29 on AW but gained the win at Southwell (in 2022) and is currently in a consistent vein of form, mainly here and most recently at Chelmsford; frame possibilities.

13/2

Form: 7-2543

Last run: 5 days

W: 9st 5lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 58

Form & Verdict
Maiden who's undergone three rounds of wind surgery; has found his level in the tongue-tie this year for his current yard and is closely matched with Bobby Shaftoe on C&D running last month.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

7

(5)

8th Jul 2024

Good

1m 0f 0y

Class 5

19:25 Ripon

Easter Island

9st 0lb

J: Ben Robinson

T: Brian Ellison

13-race maiden; best form has been on the AW, although wasn't disgraced after a break when 7l fifth to Makalu (who is now 5lb worse off) at Beverley last month (8.5f, good to soft).

8/1

3rd

1

(6)

27th Jun 2024

Standard

1m 0f 5y

Class 6

16:40 Newcastle (AW)

Easter Island

9st 10lb

J: Ben Robinson

T: Brian Ellison

Has yet to win a race but was twice placed over 1m4f here earlier this year; however, that's probably more his trip and he was outpaced over Beverley's extended 1m last time.

8/1

5th

3

(4)

18th Jun 2024

Soft

1m 0f 100y

Class 6

20:15 Beverley

Easter Island

9st 9lb

J: Ben Robinson

T: Brian Ellison

11-race maiden; placed twice over 1m4f at Newcastle earlier this year; well beaten in first-time blinkers (retained) at Southwell last time (March); tailed off only previous run on turf (1m4f, soft); stable going well but plenty to prove.

12/1

Form: 4/5/77

Last run: 18 days

W: 9st 4lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 57

Form & Verdict
Hurdle/chase winner who's struggled in two runs back on the Flat; the handicapper is easing off quickly but he's still hard to recommend.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11th

12

22nd Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 1f 0y

Class 5

14:45 Carlisle

Balranald

10st 2lb

J: Joe Williamson

T: Alison Hamilton

Won twice last season but has a modest overall strike-rate and has been below par of late; 3lb out of the weights.

25/1

8th

10

30th Oct 2025

Good To Firm

2m 0f 190y

Class 5

14:08 Newcastle

Balranald

10st 4lb

J: Jamie Hamilton

T: Alison Hamilton

Two wins last October, the second off this mark in this race (good); creditable second after a break at Sedgefield last time (2m4f, good); could well win this for the second year in a row.

7/1

8th

10

30th Oct 2025

Good To Firm

2m 0f 190y

Class 5

14:08 Newcastle

Balranald

10st 4lb

J: Jamie Hamilton

T: Alison Hamilton

Two wins last October, the second off this mark in this race (good); creditable second after a break at Sedgefield last time (2m4f, good); could well win this for the second year in a row.

7/1

Non-runners

Elusive Truth

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £8.40
Straight Forecast £9.19
Trifecta £29.80

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Bella Bluesky

POSTDATA:

Bobby Shaftoe

The Guardian:

Easter Island

Daily Record:

Easter Island

D Express:

Bobby Shaftoe

Daily Mirror:

Bobby Shaftoe

The Star:

Bobby Shaftoe

The Times:

Bella Bluesky

Telegraph:

Bella Bluesky

Daily Mail:

Bella Bluesky

The Sun:

Bella Bluesky