Newcastle free racing tips: In-form yard carries high hopes for course-distance specialist

17:45 Newcastle: Weekly 5 Free Bets With BetUK Handicap (5 furlongs)

Dandy Dinmont looks poised to go one better than those three stablemates as he drops back to his optimum five-furlong trip following a couple of runs over six.

This uphill minimum trip should suit him better than a flat six furlongs and his career-best performance, which came early last season, came over this course and distance when he ran a close runner-up of nine in a much higher-graded Class 3 handicap which he contested off a mark of 78.

Clearly, anything remotely resembling that performance will give him a big chance of winning this Class 5 off his current mark of just 68, which is effectively reduced to 63 after the useful 5lb claim of Alex Jary, who rode this sprinter to his most recent success, which came at Doncaster in July.

On that occasion, Dandy Dinmont beat 11 rivals rated 0-75 by a comfortable length off an effective mark of 67. Now 4lbs lower, he is racing off his lowest mark since he won over this distance as a three-year-old at Redcar.

Best Bet: Dandy Dinmont each-way in the 17:45 at Newcastle

The last time he ran over this distance on the all-weather came here early this month, when he was installed as favourite to land a 10-runner 0-74 contest, but he missed the break very badly and could never recover.

But just prior he competed here in a very competitive 0-75 event in which he ran off the top mark of 75, and he came within the length of the winner’s head of victory, with 12 other rivals strung out behind.

Now effectively 12lbs lower after Jary’s claim, and with his yard poised to hit form with its all-weather sprinters, Dandy Dinmont looks primed to win again over his favoured course and distance.

Of the others, Dark Kestrel should go well on the back of his latest  third of 12 in 0-75 company over this distance at Southwell Tapeta.

Previously campaigned over six furlongs, he was just beaten for speed over that flat five furlongs, but Newcastle’s uphill track will see him in a better light over the minimum trip.

His last run over this course and distance in April saw him run a close-up second of 12 in a slightly weaker race than this one, but the front pair were a length clear and he is only a pound higher today, so the four-year-old shouldn’t be far away, especially as he subsequently improved again to win a stronger 0-77 at Wolverhampton off today’s mark.

Next Best Bet: Dark Kestrel each-way in the 17:45 at Newcastle

• Preview and tips provided Steve Jones, who runs CD Systems Daily Bargain on Tipstrr