Newmarket and Newcastle

Six meetings today, all on the flat this time, and the afternoon cards at Newmarket and Newcastle are the best. At the former track, now running on the July course, the 5 furlongs handicap at 17.20 CET looks a pretty hot affair, with Double Up (Roger Varian/ Ryan Moore) the likely favourite. He is bred to be very fast, and while he was not getting home last season over 6 furlongs, he has been a revelation this year over the minimum distance, winning both his starts in good style. He has however gone up 18 lbs for his pains and is therefore no certainty, as he meets Top Boy (Derek Shaw/ Pat Mathers) - runner-up to him earlier and also by the speedy Australian sire Exceed and Excel - on 8 lbs worse terms. Stunned (Robert Cowell/ Andrea Atzeni) is very consistent and his trainer has a great record in these big sprint handicaps; he is a clear threat, but our main hope is Smoothtalkingrascal (Peter Crate/ Fergus Sweeney), an absolute 5 furlongs specialist and not beaten far when 6th of 20 last time in the Dash at Epsom on Derby day, with several of these behind.

Newmarket - betting forecast:
1. Race: Dark Forest - Experto Crede - Muatadel
2. Race: Avocadeau - International Name - Thecornishcowboy
3. Race: Plucky Dip - Strategic Force - Fullon Clarets
4. Race: Holland Park - Abertillery - Wickedly Smart
5. Race: Double Up - Stunned - Fairway To Heaven
6. Race: Cilento - Khalaas - Dagher
7. Race: Imtiyaaz - Guishan - Lady Horatia



The big handicap at Newcastle, on the first day of their biggest flat meeting of the year, is the Seaton Delaval (another historic name) over a mile at 16.20. Even with only 8 runners, this looks very tricky as most of them have questions to answer. Red Avenger (Ed Dunlop/ Graham Lee) won the big mile handicap at Glorious Goodwood last year, but has been out of form ever since, although clearly a repetition of that form would be good enough. The dsame kis true of Dance and Dance (Ed Vaughan/ Martin Lane), who won this race last year of the same mark but has run badly ever since. Dream Walker (Ed Vaughan/ Silvestre de Sousa) has a good record over this CD and must be respected, while on recent form Lacan (Marco Botti/ Martk Monaghan) and Wilde Inspiration (Julie Camacho/ Ian Brennan) must be considered. Top-weight Market Share (David O´Meara/ Sam James) has been unplaced on both his U.K. starts but ran in group races in France last year- without troubling the judge, it is true, but he still be the class act here.

Newcastle - betting forecast:
1. Race: Gifted Master - Quick N Quirky - Dressed In Fur
2. Race: Prince Hellvelyn - Garcia - Ediye
3. Race: Wilde Inspiration - Manchestar - Lacan
4. Race: King Of The Picts - Knightly Escapade - Russian Royale
5. Race: Call Of Duty - Spokesperson - Outlaw Torn
6. Race: Mysterial - It`s Only Business - Glasgon
7. Race: Scoppio Del Carro - King Of Paradise - Quest Of Colour
8. Race: Sovereign Bounty - Devious Spirit - Myboydaniel