December 11 / 13.38 Newcastle (AW)

13.38

Standard To Slow

BetUK’s Acca Club £5 Free Bet Handicap

  • Prize money: £7290
  • 1m 4f 98y
  • Class 4
  • 5 runners
SKY
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Runners: 5 runners

Type: Flat AW

Surface: Tapeta

Weather:

OUR TIP

Form: 712161 C

Last run: 4 days

W: 10st 5lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 78

Form & Verdict
Made it three wins from five starts since joining this yard when scoring at Kempton (1m3f) on Wednesday; won over 1m2f here in October and should be fine at today's distance; strong claims under 5lb penalty.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

3

(8)

1st Jun 2026

Good To Firm

2m 0f 0y

Class 4

16:35 Newbury

Barenboim

9st 8lb

J: Ashley Lewis

T: Tom Dascombe

Just 1lb above his last winning mark, but is 6-31 on the AW and 0-18 on turf, including six starts over hurdles; others more solid.

20/1

9th

12

(2)

3rd Apr 2026

Standard

2m 0f 56y

Class 2

16:42 Newcastle (AW)

Barenboim

8st 2lb

J: Hollie Doyle

T: Tom Dascombe

Made all at Kempton (2m, Polytrack) in January and head second to Berkshire Sundance at Lingfield (2m, Polytrack) later that month; not quite at the same level at Southwell (2m2f, Tapeta) last month but he failed to settle; Newcastle form figures read 12139 and he has an each-way shout.

16/1

6th

2

(5)

4th Mar 2026

Standard

2m 2f 98y

Class 4

17:40 Southwell (AW)

Barenboim

9st 13lb

J: Pierre-Louis Jamin

T: Tom Dascombe

Kempton winner (2m Class 4; 3-1, from 3lb lower) on penultimate start; went close to following up - pipped on the post - at Lingfield (2m; 9-2) subsequently; this asks a slightly sterner question over a new distance on the Flat; likely to give another positive account.

4/1

Abandoned

Form: -05633

Last run: 122 days

W: 9st 10lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 74

Form & Verdict
In good form in a visor on his last two starts in August, finishing a close third when upped to 1m4f at Lingfield (Polytrack) last time out; unraced on Tapeta; the visor is absent for this return to action but he can be in the mix if resuming in the same good heart as when last seen.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

28th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 200y

18:20 Limerick

Qaasid

11st 12lb

J: Danny Mullins

T: John Joseph Hanlon

Five-time winner on the Flat in Britain; 0-11 hurdling for this yard, best effort yet when runner-up in a claimer at Clonmel in February; leading when slipped up going to three out at the same venue nine weeks ago; not ruled out.

8/1

17

26th Mar 2026

Soft

2m 2f 188y

17:42 Clonmel

Qaasid

11st 11lb

T: John Joseph Hanlon

Five-time winner on the Flat in Britain; 0-10 hurdling for this yard, best effort yet when runner-up in a claimer here last month; down the field back in handicap company at Cork last week; reserve.

12th

4

19th Mar 2026

Yielding To Soft

2m 1f 20y

15:00 Cork

Qaasid

11st 13lb

J: Danny Mullins

T: John Joseph Hanlon

Five-time winner on the Flat in Britain; 0-9 hurdling for this yard but best effort yet when runner-up in Clonmel claimer on latest, no match for the winner; hard to place trust in him back in a handicap.

16/1

Abandoned

Form: 225343

Last run: 5 days

W: 9st 6lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 70

Form & Verdict
Beaten on his last 23 starts stretching back to January 2021; however, he's been consistent in recent months and has run creditably in 1m4f Tapeta handicaps on his last three starts; can again be thereabouts.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

6

31st May 2023

Good

2m 1f 46y

Class 5

18:50 Cartmel

Bugle Major

10st 11lb

J: Paul O’Brien

T: Archie Watson

Fair on the Flat but yet to make an impact over hurdles; brushed aside fairly easily after leading on final circuit at Plumpton (2m, good; refitted blinkers) this month; will need to show more tenacity here.

10/1

8th

9

14th May 2023

Good

1m 7f 195y

Class 5

15:15 Plumpton

Bugle Major

10st 11lb

J: Nick Scholfield

T: Archie Watson

Three French Flat wins and he's 0-30 in Britain, though placed on many occasions; shaped quite well on hurdling debut but twice tailed off since; risky but opening mark of 83 would look lenient if showing his best.

8/1

11th

1

12th Apr 2023

Good

1m 7f 182y

Class 4

16:35 Southwell

Bugle Major

11st 6lb

J: Nick Scholfield

T: Archie Watson

led, headed but prominent before 4th, pushed along after 4 out

16/1

Form: 132354 D

Last run: 12 days

W: 9st 4lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 68

Form & Verdict
Beaten just over 5l in 1m6f handicaps at Southwell and Wolverhampton on his last three starts, but he may be better served by this shorter trip having been second over C&D in October, and he won off this mark at Catterick in August; might not be far away.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

2

(3)

30th May 2025

Good To Soft

1m 3f 175y

Class 5

17:30 Haydock

The Dancing Poet

11st 2lb

J: Mr Matt Brown

T: Brian Ellison

The last three of his ten wins were last May-September (two over 1m4f then one at 1m6f) and he's 6-18 at Catterick, unraced here since two placed efforts in 2020; well beaten at three other tracks this term but he's now back to his last winning mark.

14/1

9th

2

(3)

30th May 2025

Good To Soft

1m 3f 175y

Class 5

17:30 Haydock

The Dancing Poet

11st 2lb

J: Mr Matt Brown

T: Brian Ellison

The last three of his ten wins were last May-September (two over 1m4f then one at 1m6f) and he's 6-18 at Catterick, unraced here since two placed efforts in 2020; well beaten at three other tracks this term but he's now back to his last winning mark.

14/1

Abandoned

Form: 5-934

Last run: 40 days

W: 9st 2lb

3 yo Filly

OR: 70

Form & Verdict
Showed some promise across her three starts for Joseph O'Brien and this Camelot 3yo could improve for the step up in trip on handicap debut; she may have needed last month's stable/AW debut at Southwell (7f; well beaten) but others arrive with more compelling claims.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

7

(3)

16th Oct 2023

Good

0m 7f 33y

Class 6

15:35 Musselburgh

Flash Bulb

9st 4lb

J: Jason Hart

T: Katie Scott

in touch with leaders

40/1

9th

6

(8)

3rd Oct 2023

Soft

0m 7f 50y

Class 6

16:32 Ayr

Flash Bulb

9st 9lb

J: Sam James

T: Katie Scott

Ex-Irish maiden who holds weak claims judged on form for current yard; had a second wind surgery since last run; it needs to help.

40/1

11th

3

(3)

17th Jul 2023

Soft

1m 0f 0y

Class 6

15:10 Ayr

Flash Bulb

9st 9lb

J: Phil Dennis

T: Katie Scott

took keen hold, prominent

33/1

Verdict

Having made it 3-5 for David O’Meara when winning at Kempton on Wednesday, BARENBOIM is taken to defy a 5lb penalty and follow up. Bugle Major is hard to win with but has been running well of late and could be best of the rest, ahead of Qaasid.[Ben Hutton]

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Barenboim

The Times:

Flash Bulb

The Sun:

Qaasid

LAMBOURN:

Bugle Major

RP Ratings:

Barenboim

TOPSPEED:

Barenboim

POSTDATA:

Barenboim

Telegraph:

Barenboim

Daily Mail:

Barenboim

D Express:

Barenboim

Daily Mirror:

Barenboim

The Star:

Barenboim

Daily Record:

Barenboim