Newcastle best bets: Bold bid expected from Pallas Lord under promising claimer
Great Colaci ridden by Joe Fanning (red silks) wins The Betfair Weighed In Podcast Handicap Stakes from Perfect Soldier (blue silks) at Newcastle Racecourse.
Unsurprisingly, the Monday after the Cheltenham Festival is a little short on top National Hunt action, but there’s a decent evening card at Newcastle’s all-weather track to keep race-goers happy.
18:00 Newcastle: Best Racing Odds Guaranteed at BetMGM Handicap (7 furlongs)
Big Narstie appears to hold all the aces if able to reproduce anything near the form that has yielded figures of 21232311 in his eight 2024 outings to date.
Michael Appleby’s six-year-old won over a mile here ten days ago, and after following that up with an equally impressive victory over this distance at Southwell just two days later, he looks capable of going well again here, with Frederick Larsson’s three-pound claim absorbing most of the inevitable five-pound penalty.
Looking the most likely to challenge the favourite is course specialist Pallas Lord, and the Donald Whillans-trained gelding certainly has all the credentials after producing four wins and two runner-up spots from his seven 2024 outings at the Tyneside track.
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He finished a creditable fourth of 11 over this course and distance last time out ten days ago, finishing gamely to come within two lengths of the winner, with the re-opposing Mr Squires and Plink a few places further back.
He races off the same mark here, but is reunited with promising claimer Archie Young, who was on board for Pallas Lord’s previous course-distance win a month ago, and whose seven-pound claim here could prove significant.
Young is rapidly establishing a name for himself on the all-weather circuit, and has made the most of his limited opportunities this year, winning four of his 19 attempts, including his only ride of the day on Friday, when he guided Charlie Johnston’s 12/1 shot Loyal Touch to a narrow victory over a longer trip at this venue.
Suggested best bet: Pallas Lord in the 18:00 at Newcastle
- Tip advised by Gallop Guru on Tipstrr
With a few major bookmakers paying out on four places for this 10-runner affair, the interest of Tipstrr’s each-way specialists has certainly been piqued, not least by the above-mentioned Plink, who was a far-from-disgraced 16/1 shot when returning from a three-month break over this course and distance 10 days ago.
Katie Scott’s four-year-old had already shown a glimpse of his capabilities in his last race before the winter break, when, over this course and distance, he defied his 14/1 price tag to finish a worthy runner-up behind another unlikely 16/1 shot, with the remainder of their ten rivals stretched out behind them.
Still a seven-race maiden, he receives a handy one-pound reduction from the handicapper after that pipe-opener, and might just be ready to step up a notch and challenge for at least a frame finish in the capable hands of Phil Dennis.
Each way punt: Plink in the 18:00 at Newcastle
- Tip advised by The TrailBlazer on Tipstrr
READ MORE: Newcastle racing tips: Best bets for Monday March 18
