NASHVILLE is unlikely to be too far away in the Betfred Racing Like Us On Facebook Handicap at Newcastle.
Richard Fahey’s gelded son of Galileo has picked up the pace in recent months and shaped encouragingly in a good two-mile handicap at Musselburgh two and a half weeks ago.
The five-year-old remains reasonably treated on his winning form at Chester last summer, while the suspicion remains that he could bring even more to the table now the ground is riding much quicker.
Gold Beau looks nicely poised to go well in the opener at Carlisle. The Kristin Stubbstrained four-year-old has largely struggled since he claimed a double last August, but connections must have taken plenty of heart from his most recent visit to the racecourse.
Sent off a 20-1 outsider in a tight six-furlong handicap at Hamilton on June 18, the gelded son of Gold Away belied negative market vibes to finish third.
Gold Beau was taken early to post, so he is presumably quite a sensitive thoroughbred, but the manner in which he strode purposefully towards the line, beaten just a length by the useful Amenable, bodes well.
Stubbs’ representative was fitted with first-time blinkers at Hamilton, and it is pretty understandable to see him retain the headgear in Cumbria.
Just as important ahead of the Download The Free App At bookmakers.co.uk Handicap is his fondness for fast ground.
Gold Beau has won three times in similar conditions, most recently when he stretched a length and a quarter clear over six furlongs at this track last summer.
Further confidence can be derived from the fact he remains just 1lb higher than when he was last in the winner’s enclosure.
King Of Eden finished just ahead of Gold Beau at Hamilton and can royally advertise the form by winning the Patersons of Greenoakhill Handicap back at the Scottish venue.
Eric Alston’s eight-year-old finished with verve last time out and was only beaten a neck – an especially good effort seeing as he hung badly right in the early exchanges. That the assessor has taken off another 2lb for this sixfurlong affair must fuel Alston with even more optimism as his representative is 10lb lower than when he won at Newcastle last April.
Luhaif looks a worthy ally for the Julia Feilden team when he runs at Yarmouth. The four-year-old son of Cape Cross did not enjoy himself over a mile and a quarter at Lingfield in May, but he was in a far happier place over a shorter trip when last sighted at Nottingham a week and a half ago. Luhaif was rated as highly as 102 when trained by Mick Channon a few years ago, but remains off a career-low mark of 79.
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