September 23 / 17.00 Newbury

17.00

Heavy

Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Handicap

  • Prize money: £7851
  • 1m 0f 0y
  • Class 4
  • 7 runners
RTV
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Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Handicap

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

11/2 (Won)

  • Win: £6.00
  • Place: £2.50

Form: 35-U11 D

Last run: 24 days

W: 8st 13lb

3 yo Gelding

OR: 75

Form & Verdict
Bids for a hat-trick, having won Lingfield novice event (1m1f, soft) and Kempton handicap (1m, AW) last month; upped in grade but receives weight all round and may progress further; not dismissed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

(10)

4th Nov 2025

Standard

0m 7f 1y

Class 6

16:10 Lingfield (AW)

City Of York

9st 12lb

J: Joey Haynes

T: David Simcock

Over two years since his last win and his latest 1m run here was a poor one; better expected now dropping into Class 6 company though.

10/1

1

(10)

4th Nov 2025

Standard

0m 7f 1y

Class 6

16:10 Lingfield (AW)

City Of York

9st 12lb

J: Joey Haynes

T: David Simcock

Over two years since his last win and his latest 1m run here was a poor one; better expected now dropping into Class 6 company though.

10/1

1

(10)

4th Nov 2025

Standard

0m 7f 1y

Class 6

16:10 Lingfield (AW)

City Of York

9st 12lb

J: Joey Haynes

T: David Simcock

Over two years since his last win and his latest 1m run here was a poor one; better expected now dropping into Class 6 company though.

10/1

11/2

  • Place: £2.00

Form: 330356 D

Last run: 34 days

W: 9st 11lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 87

Form & Verdict
Placed a few times off higher marks in better grades this term, including on soft; didn't have the best of fortune on last two starts; won a nursery at Ayr on this day last year; possibilities dropped in class.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

2

(12)

5th Sep 2026

Soft

0m 7f 212y

Class 4

17:25 Haydock

Metal Merchant

9st 11lb

J: Sean Levey

T: John Butler

Without a win since April 2024; just three runs for this yard, the standout being his fourth over 1m on the AW; wouldn't be the most solid option but has more races in him and this ground will be fine.

14/1

9th

3

(3)

12th Aug 2026

Standard To Slow

0m 7f 0y

Class 4

19:00 Kempton (AW)

Metal Merchant

9st 7lb

J: David Egan

T: John Butler

His last win was in April 2024 but he hasn't been with John Butler for long and he showed signs of a revival when fourth at Newcastle (1m, AW) last month; has claims if he can build on that and he should be fine back at this trip.

9/2

4th

2

(7)

25th Jul 2026

Standard To Slow

1m 0f 5y

Class 4

16:00 Newcastle (AW)

Metal Merchant

10st 1lb

J: Jack Gilligan

T: John Butler

A useful 1m winner at his best for Jack Channon; offered little in two runs for Brian Toomey this spring though and came in last of 14 for John Butler in 7f handicap here four weeks ago; no surprise if he took a step forward though with new yard among the winners.

16/1

Form: 209201 D

Last run: 20 days

W: 9st 3lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 79

Form & Verdict
Best form has come in maidens, most recently beating sole rival at Brighton (1m, good); modest efforts in handicaps but may do better if winning his latest race proves a springboard for progress.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

(4)

26th Aug 2024

Good

1m 0f 113y

Class 5

16:25 Epsom

Lunatick

10st 4lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Hughie Morrison

sweating, took keen hold, in touch with leaders

4/1

2

(9)

7th Aug 2024

Good To Firm

0m 7f 216y

Class 4

15:55 Brighton

Lunatick

9st 12lb

J: Billy Loughnane

T: Hughie Morrison

Ran big race in defeat on seasonal debut at Bath (1m, soft) in May but was not seen to quite the same effect on good ground the last twice and conditions are likely to be even quicker today.

11/2

5th

2

(4)

15th Jul 2024

Good To Firm

1m 0f 31y

Class 4

19:50 Windsor

Lunatick

10st 2lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Hughie Morrison

Unraced on firmer than good; 1m maiden winner at Brighton last September, in a two-runner race; close second at Bath (1m, soft) on reappearance, before a lesser show at Brighton later in May; needs to resume progress.

8/1

OUR TIP

Form: -84190

Last run: 21 days

W: 9st 9lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 85

Form & Verdict
Campaigned over middle distances this term, winning at Ripon (1m2f, soft) in July; has failed to match that form in two subsequent runs; returns to a lower grade but has a bit to prove back down in trip.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12th

17

(14)

12th Jun 2026

Good

1m 1f 209y

Class 3

15:23 Sandown

Baltic Voyage

8st 10lb

J: Luke Morris

T: Marcus Tregoning

6yo who is 0-5 over hurdles and 1-13 on the Flat; tailed off in this year's two runs, at 1m2f and 1m.

66/1

9th

3

(7)

12th May 2026

Standard

1m 0f 1y

Class 4

19:20 Lingfield (AW)

Baltic Voyage

9st 8lb

J: Rob Hornby

T: Marcus Tregoning

1lb below sole winning mark, but very lightly raced since joining this yard and failed to beat a rival at Newbury (1m1f, good) last month; probably best watched on AW debut.

33/1

14th

10

(14)

18th Apr 2026

Good

1m 2f 0y

Class 4

16:55 Newbury

Baltic Voyage

9st 5lb

J: Daniel Muscutt

T: Marcus Tregoning

1-10 over 2022 and 2023 for Ralph Beckett, with a soft-ground win over 1m2f, but modest over hurdles in 2024; fourth of eight for new yard in a 1m2f handicap last July was a partial revival but that was his only race last year and he needs to build markedly on it; tongue-tie (worn as a hurdler) returns.

20/1

Form: 13 BF

Last run: 37 days

W: 9st 6lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 82

Form & Verdict
Twice-raced colt who retains potential despite an odds-on defeat (on good ground) last time; debut success at Leicester (7f) came on soft; likely to stay 1m and looks interesting back on a forecast slower surface.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

6

(6)

14th Oct 2023

Standard

0m 7f 0y

Class 4

20:00 Chelmsford (AW)

Welleef

9st 13lb

J: Ross Coakley

T: Owen Burrows

Ready winner of 7f debut at Leicester (soft); no extra under a penalty on good ground next time and stepping up to 1m seemed to find him out on handicap debut at Newbury (heavy); interesting he switches to Polytrack rather than look for a soft-ground turf race at 7f; has some potential.

6/1

5th

4

(4)

23rd Sep 2023

Heavy

1m 0f 0y

Class 4

17:00 Newbury

Welleef

9st 6lb

J: Richard Kingscote

T: Owen Burrows

in touch with leaders, pressed leaders over 2f out

7/2

3rd

1

(4)

17th Aug 2023

Good

0m 6f 213y

Class 5

15:10 Salisbury

Welleef

9st 11lb

J: Richard Kingscote

T: Owen Burrows

11-8 favourite for 15-runner novice at Leicester (7f, soft) on debut 15 days ago and the confidence was not misplaced, as he led 2f out and won comfortably from Crown Dreams; penalised but could be set for a good deal better.

11/10

Form: 146552 CD

Last run: 22 days

W: 9st 1lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 77

Form & Verdict
Met traffic issues on his way to finishing second behind Mudskipper at Salisbury in second-time blinkers, recording his best handicap effort; now returns to the scene of debut win (soft) in the spring; respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

6

(5)

31st Aug 2026

Standard

1m 3f 23y

Class 5

14:42 Southwell (AW)

Golspie

9st 3lb

J: Billy Loughnane

T: Patrick Morris

Frequent slow starter who's consistent but hard to win with and who will always need things to fall just so; on a fair mark, though, under Billy Loughnane (ordinary 2-33 for the yard), having run well over C&D early in the month.

6/1

3rd

6

(5)

6th Aug 2026

Standard

1m 3f 23y

Class 6

21:00 Southwell (AW)

Golspie

9st 6lb

J: David Nolan

T: Patrick Morris

Sole win on the AW came at Newcastle (1m2f, AW) in December; has posted some good placed efforts since and left the impression he's still in form when sixth of 13 there over 1m3f last time; can be slowly away but is considered.

6/1

6th

3

(13)

25th Jul 2026

Standard To Slow

1m 2f 42y

Class 6

13:35 Newcastle (AW)

Golspie

9st 7lb

J: Cian Horgan

T: Patrick Morris

AW regular who scored here (1m2f) in December and has strung together a long line of minor honours this year; should be seriously involved.

11/2

Form: 2-05

Last run: 17 days

W: 9st 6lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 82

Form & Verdict
Needs to improve on his two efforts this season but opening mark looks workable judged on sole 2yo run (solid form); may be capable of progress now handicapping and is one to consider.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

3

(4)

19th Aug 2024

Good To Firm

0m 6f 12y

Class 6

19:55 Windsor

Greatest Time

9st 8lb

J: Richard Kingscote

T: David Evans

0-13 but he's still relatively unexposed as a sprinter and he wasn't beaten far into third at Brighton ten days ago; one to consider.

6/1

3rd

4

(6)

9th Aug 2024

Good To Firm

0m 5f 215y

Class 6

16:35 Brighton

Greatest Time

9st 7lb

J: David Probert

T: David Evans

12-race maiden with form figures of 5808756 for his new yard since December; has dropped a long way in the weights but slow starts have been an issue at times and he was never involved at Salisbury two weeks ago; others are more convincing.

9/1

6th

5

(6)

24th Jul 2024

Good To Firm

0m 5f 0y

Class 6

19:40 Salisbury

Greatest Time

9st 7lb

J: George Downing

T: David Evans

Started handicap life on an unrealistic mark for Richard Hannon last year but is competitive now and shaped nicely again last time; it remains to be seen whether he has the toe for 5f but he's a keen-goer and one of the more interesting runners.

10/1

Non-runners

Bodorgan, Mudskipper, King's Code

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £16.60
Straight Forecast £18.62
Tricast £59.14
Trifecta £63.90

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Metal Merchant

NEWMARKET:

City Of York

LAMBOURN:

Welleef

The Guardian:

Bodorgan

D Express:

Welleef

The Times:

City Of York

Daily Mail:

City Of York

The Star:

City Of York

Daily Record:

City Of York

The Sun:

Bodorgan

RP RATINGS:

Metal Merchant

TOPSPEED:

Metal Merchant

POSTDATA:

Metal Merchant

Telegraph:

Metal Merchant

Daily Mirror:

Metal Merchant