It will be a with a mixture of relief and excitement that UK racing returns at Newcastle this Monday.
Bookmakers and punters have had to survive on a mixture of racing from far-off places for two months but the UK government has finally given the green light for the sport to resume behind closed doors.
It’s a tentative, low-key start but one that has been heavily oversubscribed, as one would expect, with most races having maximum fields.
The feature is the Class 3 Betway Handicap over an extended 1m4f and 12 runners are set to face the starter.
Horse Racing Betting at BetVictor
For the foreseeable future, all races will have a 72-hour declaration so that is an extra day to study the form and form a market. However, it remains to be seen how industry prices will compare to the odds collated from on-course bookmakers with many fearing online companies could attempt to take advantage of the situation.
Betway Handicap Current Best Odds
Alignak 2/1
Good Tidings 7/2
Ice Pyramid 4/1
December Second 10/1
Makawee 14/1
Anythingtoday and Bo Samraan 16/1
To Be Wild, Star Of The East and Cosmelli 22/1
Bolder Bob 40/1
Financial Conduct 50/1
(Odds correct at 11.45 BST May 31, 2020)
Betway Handicap Predictions
Joe Fanning rides Bo Samraan rather than stablemate Star Of The East, who is returning from a lengthy absence.
Mark Johnston’s four-year-old has won on Fibresand but was a beaten favourite at Newcastle when last seen on the Tapeta surface so there are questions to answer. The colt is a general 16/1.
Good Tidings is a general 7/2 as her returns to the scene of his last success.
The Newmarket raider has run three times in handicaps, however, and has come up sort on each occasion. There is a suggestion that the handicapper has him just where he wants him at present so his current odds look a little short.
Alignak has also travelled up from Newmarket and looks to have stronger claims.
Champion Oisin Murphy takes the reins on Sir Michael Stoute’s grey, who came good when tackling the all-weather for the first time at Kempton in September.
He has very few miles on the clock so may well improve further this year. Time will tell whether or not he starts off in handicaps on a lenient mark but punters have latched on to his potential and he’s only a best 2/1.
Philip Kirby has two runners but Ice Pyramid has been the one for money.
Bought from Godolphin, he’s won twice at Newcastle already this year. This race represents a further step up in grade but it will be a surprise if he doesn’t make his presence felt at the general 4/1, despite a further 7lb rise in the weights.
Cosmelli (22/1 with Betvictor) won the Northumberland PLate consolation race at Newcastle in 2018 and won over 1m6f at Chelmsford last year but 1m4f doesn’t look a sufficient test of stamina.
From a value perspective, MAKAWEE has to be worth a second look for a top trainer/jockey combination.
Available to be backed at 14/1, David O’Meara’s mare was a winner at York and Wetherby around this time last year.
The handicapper was largely in charge thereafter and she is making her debut on the all-weather in this contest but it is her record when running after a break that is noteworthy today.
She was just beaten on her reappearance at Hamilton last year which is enough encouragement to suggest she is overpriced compared to some of her rivals.
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