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Racecards

15:15 Newcastle

Bet365 Handicap

  • 10 Runners
  • Distance: 7f
  • Going: Soft
  • Surface: Turf
Weighed In
  • Winning Time: 1m 34.41s
  • 10 Ran
1(7)
Silk - Orange, Black chevrons, Orange sleeves, Black seams, quartered cap
9/1
  • Form 111216-
  • Age 5
  • Weight 9-12
  • Official Rating 95

in touch, ridden over 2f out, stayed on inside final furlong

2(2)
Silk - Dark Blue, Maroon sash, Dark Green sleeves, Maroon cap
  • Form 60757-1
  • Age 4
  • Weight 9-9
  • Official Rating 92

chased leader for 2f, ridden and lost place over 2f out, one pace and no impression final furlong

3(6)
Silk - Yellow, Royal Blue stars, hooped sleeves and star on cap

Zilch

12 D
13/2
  • Form 10780-9
  • Age 7
  • Weight 9-8
  • Official Rating 91

held up behind, ridden over 2f out, headway on outside over 1f out, ran on to lead towards finish

4(8)
Silk - Emerald Green, White sash, Emerald Green sleeves, White stars, hooped cap
  • Form 11587-0
  • Age 4
  • Weight 9-4
  • Official Rating 87

chased leaders until lost place over 2f out

5(10)
Silk - Grey, Black disc, Grey sleeves, Black spots, quartered cap

Aperitif

172 BF
13/2
  • Form 173104-
  • Age 4
  • Weight 9-3
  • Official Rating 86

held up, weakened final 2f

6(9)
Silk - BROWN and RED (halved), sleeves reversed, RED cap
7/1
  • Form 43709-0
  • Age 7
  • Weight 9-1
  • Official Rating 84

held up, ridden over 2f out, headway over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong

7(1)
Silk - Red, White epaulets, quartered cap

King Harson

158 v CD
11/1
  • Form 015002-
  • Age 6
  • Weight 9-0
  • Official Rating 83

led, ridden well over 1f out, headed inside final furlong, soon weakened

8(5)
Silk - YELLOW, ROYAL BLUE hoops, YELLOW sleeves, ROYAL BLUE armlets and cap
16/1
  • Form 560200-
  • Age 8
  • Weight 8-13
  • Official Rating 82

behind, ridden over 2f out, headway over 1f out, kept on same pace, no impression

9(3)
Silk - Light Blue, White hoop, armlets and cap

Digital

7 D
5/1
  • Form 05764-7
  • Age 8
  • Weight 8-13
  • Official Rating 82

held up, headway over 3f out, ridden 2f out, no extra inside final furlong

10(4)
Silk - Red, White triple diamond, White sleeves, Red seams, White cap, Red diamonds
  • Form 91505-9
  • Age 5
  • Weight 8-12
  • Official Rating 81

tracked leaders, ridden well over 1f out, led inside final furlong, kept on, headed towards finish

In depth

Verdict

Nero's Return can make fitness count over Aperitif, with Artistic Style and King Harson also likely to benefit from today's return to action. The Mark Johnston stable is already up and running with winners, so hopes are high that Nero's Return can add to his win at Pontefract where he got up in the final strides to catch Cimyla. That was an improvement on what he showed last season, so a winter gelding operation seems to have done the trick. He can finally make up for lost time now, having been campaigned against better company without success in the past and should make his fitness tell. Apritif has won two of his 12 starts and will at least like the ground, but is best watched today along with Artistic Style whose last outing was in the November Handicap. He shot up the weights last term after some useful efforts and it remains to be seen how he will cope. The visored King Harson has the assistance of Jamie Spencer but he too will need this, while Digital has had a run out at Kempton where he was a bit short of room, but the fact remains that he was costly to follow last term. So, for the winner we plump for Nero's Return.

Formwatch

Artistic Style 14-1 Mid-division, pushed along and switched right over 3f out, ridden over 1f out, stayed on final furlong, 6th of 24, 13l behind Carte Diamond at Doncaster 1m 4f hcp 0-110 (B1) sft in Nov.

Nero's Return (IRE) 12-1 Held up towards rear, ridden and headway over 2f out, switched right over 1f out, kept on to lead towards finish, won at Pontefract 1m hcp gs in Mar beating Cimyla by a hd, 12 ran.

Zilch 12-1 Held up and always towards rear, last of 9, 11l behind Iffraaj at Kempton 6f hcp gd in Mar.

Commando Scott (IRE) 12-1 Prominent, effort over 2f out, soon beaten, 13th of 15, 19l behind Merlin's Dancer at Doncaster 6f hcp gd in Mar.

Aperitif 2-1fav Slowly into stride, held up in rear, headway over 2f out, one pace under pressure final furlong, 4th of 13, 2 1/2l behind Cello at Bath 1m hcp (D2) sft in Oct.

Mystic Man (FR) 7-1 Chased leaders, ridden to lead over 2f out, weakening when headed over 1f out, 11th of 12, 23l behind Nero's Return at Pontefract 1m hcp gs in Mar.

King Harson 16-1 Led, ridden over 2f out, headed final furlong, kept on, 2nd of 10, 3/4l behind Go Padero at Catterick 7f hcp (D2) sft in Nov.

Cd Flyer (IRE) 14-1 Always behind stand side, 14th of 20, 19l behind Soyuz at Doncaster 7f app hcp (D2) gs in Nov.

Digital 8-1 In touch, ridden and not clear run over 2f out, soon outpaced, 7th of 17, 4 1/2l behind Flint River at Kempton 7f hcp gs.

Young Mr Grace (IRE) 16-1 Led and took keen hold, ridden and headed over 2f out, soon weakened, 9th of 12, 18l behind Nero's Return at Pontefract 1m hcp gs in Mar.