October 17 / 18.30 Newcastle (AW)

18.30

Standard

Central – A Decade Running Purely Belta Selling Stakes

  • Prize money: £3888
  • 1m 0f 5y
  • Class 5
  • 6 runners
SKY
View Course
Central – A Decade Running Purely Belta Selling Stakes

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Flat AW

Surface: Tapeta

Weather: Mostly cloudy

Form: 331521 D

Last run: 16 days

W: 10st 8lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 87

Form & Verdict
Twice successful on turf since August, though his win at 1-3 in a four-runner seller at Musselburgh (1m1f, soft) 16 days ago doesn't add up to much; twice runner-up in four visits here and respected despite 15lb worth of penalties.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

(1)

4th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

0m 7f 0y

Class 4

16:42 Wetherby

Empirestateofmind

9st 7lb

J: Jason Hart

T: John & Sean Quinn

Prolific winner at 1m-1m1f on good or slower; inconsistent this season but has slipped to a workable mark and, if in the same form as at Ripon on penultimate start, he could have a say.

10/1

11th

13

(5)

16th May 2026

Good

0m 7f 218y

Class 3

16:47 Thirsk

Empirestateofmind

8st 13lb

J: Jason Hart

T: John & Sean Quinn

Multiple wins at 1m and 1m1f (good or softer) include two over C&D; quite favourably treated now and he was a very respectable fourth at Ripon recently, when just behind a subsequent winner; needs a bit more here.

16/1

4th

2

(6)

16th Apr 2026

Good

1m 0f 0y

Class 4

17:25 Ripon

Empirestateofmind

9st 12lb

J: Jack Nicholls

T: John & Sean Quinn

Two wins last year (1m/1m1f, good/soft); the last of them came in a seller and he was well beaten on last month's reappearance at Doncaster, but that was the competitive Spring Mile and he may have needed the run; won this in 2022 and he's not discounted off a handy mark.

10/1

OUR TIP

10/1

Form: 741088 D

Last run: 17 days

W: 10st 3lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 78

Form & Verdict
Winner of nine races including three on AW (6f/7f); won twice on turf (6f/7.6f) in the summer, but not very consistent and this stiff mile may just find him out; others preferred.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

9

(11)

17th May 2026

Good

0m 6f 6y

Class 4

18:15 Hamilton

Abduction

9st 5lb

J: Kaiya Fraser

T: Jim Goldie

Won over C&D off this mark last summer but does most racing now over further and wants a good test at this trip; said to have run flat last time but does have his good and bad days now for a yard responsible for two others; 2-4 for Kaiya Fraser.

12/1

8th

9

(6)

26th Apr 2026

Good

0m 7f 15y

Class 4

17:45 Musselburgh

Abduction

9st 0lb

J: Shay Farmer

T: Jim Goldie

Won at Newcastle (7f, AW) in January and close fourth at Wolverhampton (7f, AW) in February before winning over this C&D (good) a fortnight ago; it was a tight finish but he's gone up just 2lb; again in calculations.

9/2

1st

7

(4)

12th Apr 2026

Good

0m 7f 15y

Class 4

18:15 Musselburgh

Abduction

9st 5lb

J: Kaiya Fraser

T: Jim Goldie

6lb lower than when winning from a poor draw at Chester (7.6f, good to firm) last August and just 1lb higher than when successful at Newcastle (7f, AW) in January; ran well when a close fourth of 12 at Wolverhampton (7f, AW) last time and capable of playing a part; stable also runs Kelpie Grey.

7/1

Form: 676976

Last run: 19 days

W: 10st 3lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 78

Form & Verdict
Both wins have come over 7f (Polytrack/good ground) and has finished out of the frame in his last seven starts; didn't enjoy much luck in a 0-85 handicap over C&D last time, but may find a couple too good on these terms.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

6

(12)

29th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

0m 7f 6y

Class 4

15:30 Doncaster

Stanage

9st 6lb

J: Sam James

T: Michael & David Easterby

Only 1-12 for current yard but gained the success off 7lb higher in a division of this contest on reappearance last year (good ground); great chance assuming he starts this season in similar form.

8/1

2

(5)

25th Oct 2025

Heavy

0m 7f 6y

Class 4

17:30 Doncaster

Stanage

9st 12lb

J: Joanna Mason

T: Michael & David Easterby

He's 6lb lower than when winning over C&D (good) in March in a hood, which goes back on today; however, he's gone off the boil more recently and needs to produce more than he's managed on his last few starts.

16/1

Form: 193390 CD

Last run: 15 days

W: 10st 3lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 80

Form & Verdict
Multiple winner in his young days including over C&D, but has only managed to win two of his last 31 starts, one of which was on Jersey; may find a couple too strong.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

(9)

29th Oct 2025

Standard To Slow

1m 0f 0y

Class 4

18:30 Kempton (AW)

Tempus

9st 8lb

J: William Cox

T: Archie Watson

1lb lower than when scoring in an amateur riders' event at Goodwood (1m, good) in June, but hard to win with these days and latest close third of six came in a Newcastle seller (1m, Tapeta); look elsewhere.

11/1

6

(9)

29th Oct 2025

Standard To Slow

1m 0f 0y

Class 4

18:30 Kempton (AW)

Tempus

9st 8lb

J: William Cox

T: Archie Watson

1lb lower than when scoring in an amateur riders' event at Goodwood (1m, good) in June, but hard to win with these days and latest close third of six came in a Newcastle seller (1m, Tapeta); look elsewhere.

11/1

4

(2)

17th Oct 2025

Standard

1m 0f 5y

Class 5

18:30 Newcastle (AW)

Tempus

10st 3lb

J: Hollie Doyle

T: Archie Watson

Multiple winner in his young days including over C&D, but has only managed to win two of his last 31 starts, one of which was on Jersey; may find a couple too strong.

7/1

Form: 063906 CD

Last run: 14 days

W: 9st 12lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 78

Form & Verdict
Not at his best in handicaps lately, but 10-29 on the AW and 2-2 over C&D in January 2022 when trained by Charles Hills; stable doesn't run many here and he's interesting on these terms.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

13

(1)

20th May 2026

Standard To Slow

1m 0f 0y

Class 5

19:30 Kempton (AW)

Cephalus

9st 2lb

J: Joey Haynes

T: Chelsea Banham

11-time AW winner but he's been out of sorts for new yard since December and was last of eight over C&D last time; mark is tumbling but he has lots to prove and needs a major revival.

66/1

8th

6

(8)

4th May 2026

Standard To Slow

1m 0f 0y

Class 5

16:20 Kempton (AW)

Cephalus

9st 4lb

J: Joey Haynes

T: Chelsea Banham

All 11 wins on the AW, including one over C&D, though his latest success for the Moores was in a Newcastle seller (1m, Tapeta) in October; out of the frame in all four starts for this yard since then and may be best watched despite his declining mark.

12/1

10th

4

(9)

31st Mar 2026

Standard

0m 7f 36y

Class 5

18:30 Wolverhampton (AW)

Cephalus

9st 7lb

J: Joey Haynes

T: Chelsea Banham

Prolific winner down the years; not fired in three runs for Chelsea Banham this winter; betting likely to guide if a revival is on the cards.

40/1

Form: 726434 C

Last run: 27 days

W: 9st 7lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 77

Form & Verdict
0-16 since winning the Spring Mile at Doncaster (1m, soft) in March last year, but running well in handicaps lately while her record here reads 6231; major player on these terms.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

6

(9)

5th Apr 2026

Good

1m 0f 0y

Class 5

16:55 Bath

Look Back Smiling

9st 3lb

J: Dougie Costello

T: Neil Mulholland

Usually slowly away; lost his form last autumn but he's thrown in judged on plenty of earlier 2025 form, never mind peak efforts; first run since he left Gemma Tutty for 9,000gns in December and the market may guide.

14/1

11th

6

(14)

4th Nov 2025

Good To Soft

0m 7f 0y

Class 5

13:25 Redcar

Look Back Smiling

9st 10lb

J: Joanna Mason

T: Gemma Tutty

Stuck on a losing run but competitive in 7f/1m handicaps this year (and a seller) and heavy ground perhaps not ideal the last time; could go well.

10/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £23.20
Straight Forecast £23.24
Trifecta £101.20

Selections

POSTDATA:

Empirestateofmind

TOPSPEED:

Cephalus

SPOTLIGHT:

Look Back Smiling

LAMBOURN:

Tempus

RP RATINGS:

Look Back Smiling

The Times:

Look Back Smiling

The Guardian:

Cephalus

Daily Mail:

Cephalus

The Star:

Cephalus

Telegraph:

Empirestateofmind

D Express:

Empirestateofmind

Daily Mirror:

Empirestateofmind

Daily Record:

Empirestateofmind