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

5th

5

(2)

17th Jul 2026

Good

1m 0f 6y

Class 4

19:42 Pontefract

Empirestateofmind

9st 3lb

J: James Sullivan

T: John & Sean Quinn

A dual winner (around 1m) in 2025 but he's yet to fire this season, only ninth of 11 in 1m Redcar handicap four weeks ago; others appeal more.

20/1

9th

11

(3)

19th Jun 2026

Good

0m 7f 219y

Class 3

15:25 Redcar

Empirestateofmind

9st 2lb

J: Jason Hart

T: John & Sean Quinn

Has dropped 8lb lower than when last winning a handicap for good reason; his last two starts didn't suggest a return to winning ways was imminent.

14/1

9th

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

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

3rd

1

(10)

6th Jul 2026

Good

0m 7f 50y

Class 5

15:30 Ayr

Abduction

10st 2lb

J: Jake Dickson

T: Jim Goldie

Multiple wins include three over C&D earlier in his career; has run well on occasions since a narrow Musselburgh win (7f, good) in April off this mark and a recent never-nearer third of eight there under Jake Dickson puts him in this picture; yard runs three.

5/1

3rd

2

(5)

30th Jun 2026

Good

0m 7f 15y

Class 4

16:00 Musselburgh

Abduction

9st 3lb

J: Jake Dickson

T: Jim Goldie

C&D win off this mark in April; mixed since but his latest third at Ayr (6f, soft) was a sound effort and today he has the assistance of an apprentice who is good value for his 7lb claim; high on the list.

5/1

3rd

8

(3)

20th Jun 2026

Good

0m 6f 0y

Class 4

17:23 Ayr

Abduction

9st 10lb

J: Harry Davies

T: Jim Goldie

Two wins this year, the latest off this mark at Musselburgh (7f, good) in April; penultimate Hamilton seventh suggested he was still in good form; no surprise to see him in the thick of it.

12/1

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

5

(1)

9th Jul 2026

Good To Firm

0m 7f 6y

Class 4

17:05 Doncaster

Stanage

9st 10lb

J: Joanna Mason

T: Michael & David Easterby

Won over C&D in March of 2025 off 11lb higher; 0-12 in the meantime and quiet so far this term.

12/1

12th

9

(5)

26th Jun 2026

Standard To Slow

1m 0f 5y

Class 4

18:18 Newcastle (AW)

Stanage

9st 11lb

J: Joanna Mason

T: Michael & David Easterby

He's 9lb lower than when winning at Doncaster last March and may have needed his comeback run there this March, when mid-division; however, his form went the wrong way as last year developed and he needs to get back on track.

14/1

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

10th

7

(12)

7th Jul 2026

Standard

1m 0f 142y

Class 5

18:10 Wolverhampton (AW)

Cephalus

9st 4lb

J: Joey Haynes

T: Chelsea Banham

11-time AW winner; quiet for Chelsea Banham this year but dropping down the weights and he is one of four runners on the card for connections that all require close market surveillance.

9/1

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

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

3rd

3

(5)

8th Jul 2026

Standard To Slow

1m 0f 0y

Class 6

20:55 Kempton (AW)

Look Back Smiling

9st 8lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Neil Mulholland

Not the most reliable and winless since March 2024 for Gemma Tutty; hinted at a revival though on just second run for his new yard with fourth of eight in 1m1f handicap at Goodwood last month; not without interest off a tumbling mark with Oisin Murphy up for the first time.

11/4

4th

6

(6)

5th Jun 2026

Good To Soft

1m 1f 11y

Class 5

17:25 Goodwood

Look Back Smiling

9st 10lb

J: Mason Paetel

T: Neil Mulholland

Lost his way last autumn and, after changing hands for 9,000gns, he was out the back on stable debut at Bath (1m, good; fine on soft); potentially well handicapped but has enough to prove.

6/1

+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