`Class 2` in Newcastle

Newcastle, Monday 2 January: The event at Newcastle`s all-weather track comes into focus today. The `Class 2` Sunderland Handicap (4th race/5.10pm/25,200 pounds/1420m) appeals to six horses. The Harry and Roger Chalton-trained Noisy Night (Hollie Doyle) goes into the race as favourite. He finished a very creditable second on his last start at this course after being off for over a year. In his first year he won three races in a row on the sandy course at Kempton. Early chances will also be given to Larado (Theodore Ladd), who battled Zip (Mark Winn) to victory here on December 2, with an advantage of three-quarters of a length. Lord Of The Lodge (Pierre-Louis Jamin) is another dirt specialist who finished a good third at Wolverhampton recently. Air To Air (Kevin Stott) performed well in the summer and should be in the mix here too. The £350,000-plus Raising Sand (Saffie Osborne) has little to offer at present.