Matthew Sutcliffe ended Royal Ascot with a 12/1 winner in the final race of the week and he looks to use that as a stepping stone to more success on Saturday afternoon for the live ITV Racing. With four selections for the terrestrial action at Newcastle and York, he picks out his best bets, which includes a 2pt win in the 3pm contest.
1:40 Newcastle – JenningsBet 200 Shops Nationwide Handicap (Class 2) (3yo+ 0-105) – Pocklington 7/1 1pt WIN + Sergeant Wilko 12/1 0.5pt EW 4 places
The unexposed POCKLINGTON is 2/2 over course and distance with the latter effort beating the former Coventry second Army Ethos, and he wasn’t entirely disgraced in the Listed Carnarvon Stakes last season beaten five lengths into fifth, splitting rivals rated 103 and 102 (latter since won in listed company now rated (109).
He found the Commonwealth Cup too hot when a nine length tenth, but a subsequent wind operation saw him run very well on handicap debut at York in the ever-competitive Symphony Group Handicap. Despite finishing tenth, he was only beaten three lengths and finished third in his group of eleven up the unfavourable near side, with the first five home all drawn between stalls two and eight. Pocklington switched from rear on the nearside to finish midfield on the far-side, unsurprisingly clocking the fastest finishing speed in the race.
He also clocked the highest average stride length, which bodes well for the return to this stiff six and he’s taken to maintain his unbeaten course and distance record.
I’d also like to save on SERGEANT WILKO, who’s one of three likely to force the pace here. The other two are toward the bottom of the market with He’s A Monster drawn one and Never Just A Dream drawn next to him in stall 13, and the former is winless since 2023 whereas the latter returns from a 364 day layoff and has shown little form when fresh.
Given he’s the likeliest of the trio to be primed for this, he may be able to dominate proceedings and his front running effort at Haydock off top-weight last time out can be upgraded. There was a huge near-side rail bias that day and the first three home had all come up that side in a group of four, whereas Sergeant Wilko led the field up the unfavourable centre and easily had the beating off his group, finishing two lengths ahead of the next one and three lengths ahead of the third, who won next time out and is dubiously the market leader here.
He also gave a strong front running effort when beaten two lengths here over C&D in a similar 0-105 on penultimate run, and this course and distance winner isn’t ruled out from a workable mark under Jamie Spencer, who contrary to the usual belief, is fantastic on front runners.
1:55 York – Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Mile Handicap (Class 3) (3yo+ 0-90) – Stanage 12/1 1pt EW 4 places
STANAGE looks a rock solid each way bet here as this is far from a deep contest on the Knavesmire. I’d question whether Archivist is a sure thing at 13/8 as he beat trees in a Leicester maiden (albeit impressively), and George Boughey’s Cadarn won a weak enough 0-85 at Redcar when making all against the nearside rail, and the exposed second has posted RPR’s of 57 and 78 since.
Madame De Sevigne is 0-12 outside of fillies company and was beaten seven lengths on her sole start here, Nordic Norm makes his turf debut and was possibility flattered by his proximity to Rahiebb at Newcastle who won in spite of unfavourable circumstance and greenness on that debut, Capital Guarantee has done little to suggest this market 84 is workable, and Barley has to back up just three days later.
Stanage admittedly has his flaws and a tendency to be keen has halted him of late, but Shane Gray has a knack of getting these quirky types to settle and he can be competitive again back off his last winning mark. That came in a first time hood on debut for the yard when cosily landing a 0-85 at Doncaster on seasonal debut, and the fourth has subsequent form figures of 21151 now rated 11lbs higher, not to mention Madame De Sevigne was beaten thirteen lengths down the field.
Stanage then ran an excellent race upped to class two company when beaten a length at Newmarket despite suffering for room in running, and the winner franked that when beaten 1/2L in the Wokingham. The fourth won next time out now rated 6lbs higher, as did the fifth who also took the Kensington Palace Handicap last week now rated 8lbs higher. We can discount his effort over six furlongs next time out, as he improved for the step up in trip over Saturday’s C&D when beaten two lengths in the Hambleton Handicap despite taking a keen hold in a slowly run race.
He didn’t appear to enjoy the course at Epsom next time out when first off the bridle up the far side rail, and the return to a more conventional track coupled with the drop in class can see him show up well from his last winning mark.
3:00 York – Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dash Handicap (Class 2) (3yo+ 0-105) – Azure Angel 5/1 2pt WIN
JM Jungle is the obvious candidate in here given his form with American Affair, but he may struggle to giver AZURE ANGEL 8lbs who looked a mare going the right way for connections of Regional.
The daughter of Harry Angel somewhat went off the boil for Roger Varian last season after a promising start to her career, and after shaping with promise on her first two starts for Ed Bethell, she won in impressive fashion at Redcar when dropped in trip to five furlongs off top-weight, giving 10lbs to the second.
She clocked a strong time there, with some eye-catching sectionals between 2F-4F (10.02 2F), and that innate speed will bode strongly at a track like York particularly given she has some stamina reserves should they go hard up top which is a likely scenario with Democracy Dilemma, Habooba and Regal Envoy, who all tend to try and make all.
A subsequent 6lbs rise doesn’t look overly harsh given the manner within which she won eased down, and she’s favourably drawn in stall one should the far-side rail bias prevail once more.
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