October 01 / 17.30 Newcastle (AW)

17.30

Standard

Arc Weekend On Sky Sports Racing Handicap

  • Prize money: £3716.14
  • 2m 0f 56y
  • Class 5
  • 5 runners
SKY
View Course
Arc Weekend On Sky Sports Racing Handicap

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Flat AW

Surface: Tapeta

Weather: Showers

2/1 (Won)

  • Win: £2.63
  • Place: £1.30

Form: 894732

Last run: 14 days

W: 9st 0lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 63

Form & Verdict
Maiden who's turned in two solid efforts in the visor over C&D recently; only 1lb higher tonight and should get involved once more.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

4

(4)

12th May 2025

Good To Firm

1m 7f 189y

Class 5

14:47 Catterick

Unique Spirit

9st 8lb

J: Tom Eaves

T: R Mike Smith

A break may have helped and he's just 1lb higher than when winning at Newcastle (2m, AW) last October; however, he was down the field there in December on his first two runs for this yard; something to prove on return.

20/1

7th

4

(4)

12th May 2025

Good To Firm

1m 7f 189y

Class 5

14:47 Catterick

Unique Spirit

9st 8lb

J: Tom Eaves

T: R Mike Smith

towards rear

20/1

7th

8

(8)

20th Dec 2024

Standard

2m 0f 102y

Class 4

15:27 Southwell (AW)

Unique Spirit

8st 12lb

J: Sean Kirrane

T: R Mike Smith

Record of 32123 over 2m at Newcastle in his final five runs for D O'Meara; struggled on recent stable debut but the drop back to 1m4f was against him and he now takes a big step back up in trip; has claims if he can recapture his spark and he's not ruled out; visor the headgear of choice today.

16/1

5/1

  • Place: £3.20

Form: 41-854

Last run: 25 days

W: 10st 5lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 73

Form & Verdict
Polytrack winner in France last autumn who's done better with each of his three starts for this yard; was again inclined to pull hard on turf last time, though, which would be a concern in a small field now going beyond 1m4f for the first time.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

(3)

2nd Oct 2025

Good To Soft

1m 6f 0y

Class 2

16:05 Nottingham

Arcon

9st 5lb

J: George Wood

T: Jennie Candlish

Ex-German; 1-10 for this yard, the win at Haydock (1m6f) in August; well held when 25-1 in a 1m4f Racing League race on his only subsequent start, which is forgivable but one or two of these look better handicapped.

16/1

8th

5

(7)

28th Aug 2025

Standard

1m 4f 14y

Class 4

17:45 Southwell (AW)

Arcon

9st 9lb

J: George Wood

T: Jennie Candlish

French winner who kept on well to win at Haydock (1m6f) last time and is also effective on Tapeta; however, the drop back in trip seems a negative.

12/1

3

(2)

8th Aug 2025

Good

1m 6f 0y

Class 5

18:15 Haydock

Arcon

10st 13lb

J: Mr Jamie Neild

T: Jennie Candlish

French winner who went close at Newcastle (2m, AW) last October and is now 1lb lower; however, unable to reproduce that form since and was a 9l fifth of seven when back at Newcastle (2m) last Friday.

12/1

7/2

Form: 035162 C

Last run: 38 days

W: 10st 1lb

5 yo Colt

OR: 69

Form & Verdict
Two solid efforts for Rhys Elliott round Redcar in the summer; has had his moments at the stalls and can pull hard, as when well held over C&D two months ago, and he'll need to be more amenable in another small field.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

(6)

9th Oct 2025

Standard

2m 0f 56y

Class 6

16:20 Newcastle (AW)

Gastronomy

9st 12lb

J: Cam Hardie

T: Philip Kirby

Won twice last year, including over 12.5f here, but his losing run is beginning to mount up; now 6lb below his last winning mark but not easy to recommend after a heavy defeat over C&D one month ago.

16/1

5

(2)

8th Sep 2025

Standard To Slow

2m 0f 56y

Class 5

17:10 Newcastle (AW)

Gastronomy

9st 4lb

J: Joe Fanning

T: Philip Kirby

Won twice last year, including over 12.5f here, but his losing run is beginning to mount up; cheekpieces left off last time are back on and he needs to show improvement.

6/1

OUR TIP

Form: 463174 D

Last run: 12 days

W: 10st 0lb

5 yo Colt

OR: 68

Form & Verdict
Dour stayer who lacks consistency and isn't as good as he was; fine on Tapeta and quite capable off this mark but whether this will be run to suit is a different matter.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12th

5

(13)

29th May 2026

Good

2m 0f 0y

19:25 Down Royal

Pons Aelius

9st 9lb

J: Patrick McGettigan

T: H D McGuigan

Six-time winner at up to 2m in Britain but yet to hit any sort of form for current yard; career-low mark and tongue-tie tried so don't rule out.

12/1

11th

7

(16)

3rd May 2026

Good

1m 5f 190y

15:22 Sligo

Pons Aelius

9st 11lb

J: Gabriella Hill

T: H D McGuigan

Donegal yard likes to pick up horses with back-form, often from Britain, and try to rejuvenate them; six-time winner at up to 2m but hasn't been finishing out his races in Ireland and been off a while.

18/1

8th

9

(9)

16th Jan 2026

Standard

2m 0f 0y

17:15 Dundalk (AW)

Pons Aelius

9st 0lb

J: Patrick McGettigan

T: H D McGuigan

Six-time winner for Charlie Johnston and best form over this trip; poor on first two runs for this yard at big prices; better than bare result when beaten over 5l at Gowran last May; yard's first runner of the year won on Tuesday; no surprise were he to go well after a break with leading claimer aboard.

20/1

Form: 90554

Last run: 17 days

W: 9st 1lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 64

Form & Verdict
Signs of life since upped in trip and handicapping, and he could yet be capable of better, with first-time cheekpieces added to the hood tonight; considered.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

5

(1)

18th Sep 2025

Standard To Slow

1m 7f 218y

Class 5

19:15 Kempton (AW)

Sydney Seabreeze

9st 0lb

J: Hollie Doyle

T: S Woods

Well held on soft turf a fortnight ago but seems to save his best for AW, including runner-up at Wolverhampton (1m6f) and Lingfield (2m) in the spring; penultimate fourth of 13 back at Lingfield was also respectable and he's well treated on peak form.

11/2

8th

1

(11)

3rd Sep 2025

Good

1m 6f 0y

Class 6

14:20 Bath

Sydney Seabreeze

9st 12lb

J: Tom Marquand

T: S Woods

Two seconds on AW and back-to-form fourth in that sphere on latest start; however, towards the rear on good ground on his only two turf starts, latterly when tailed off in a 1m6f handicap in June; a hood (absent this year) returns.

8/1

4th

5

(13)

21st Aug 2025

Standard

1m 7f 169y

Class 6

15:45 Lingfield (AW)

Sydney Seabreeze

9st 7lb

J: Silvestre De Sousa

T: S Woods

Runner-up off 3lb higher over C&D in May but his form has nosedived with heavy defeats in both subsequent runs; record is now 0-12 and others are more convincing; visor is removed and cheekpieces return.

16/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £14.20
Straight Forecast £14.27
Trifecta £38.30

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Unique Spirit

SPOTLIGHT:

Sydney Seabreeze

POSTDATA:

Pons Aelius

Telegraph:

Gastronomy

NEWMARKET:

Sydney Seabreeze

The Times:

Sydney Seabreeze

Daily Mail:

Sydney Seabreeze

The Guardian:

Unique Spirit

D Express:

Unique Spirit

The Star:

Unique Spirit

Daily Record:

Unique Spirit

Daily Mirror:

Pons Aelius

The Sun:

Pons Aelius