Horse Racing Tips: Timeform’s picks for Thursday’s action at Newcastle

8mo ago

Newcastle Racing Tips

13:52 Come On John
14:27 Busby
15:02 Noble Consort
15:32 Jimmy Knocker
16:05 General Admission
16:40 Angel Of Antrim
17:10 Sanat
17:40 Cherry King
18:10 Yaahobby

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

COME ON JOHN took advantage of his reduced mark on just his second start for James Owen (previously with Michael Attwater) when successful at Southwell in October, and he has remained in form, finishing placed on his four subsequent starts.

He has been beaten less than a length on his last three starts, missing out by only a head here last time when pulling clear of the remainder. He is only 2lb higher here and can gain a deserved success.

14:27 Busby

BUSBY had been out of form, but the application of a visor, instead of the usual cheekpieces, seemingly had a positive impact, and he was able to snap a long losing sequence on his return from a couple of weeks off at Southwell two weeks ago.

Busby was also suited by front-running tactics being employed again and he only had to be kept up to his work to score by three-quarters of a length. The visor is unsurprisingly retained and Busby holds leading claims in this classified stakes.

15:02 Noble Consort

NOBLE CONSORT proved better than ever when successful over this course and distance last month, looking well suited by the return to sprinting. He had the run of the race there, but a weak pace is forecast again, and he might also be able to dictate terms here. He remains relatively unexposed as a sprinter so is taken to defy this 5lb higher mark.

15:32 Jimmy Knocker

JIMMY KNOCKER offered something to work on when fourth on his handicap debut and first attempt at sprinting at Southwell a couple of weeks ago.

Jimmy Knocker, who had been gelded since last seen, was slowly into stride, made headway over a furlong out, and stuck to his task. This stiffer track should be in his favor, and given his unexposed profile, there could still be a bit more to come.

16:05 General Admission

GENERAL ADMISSION, a 145,000 guineas purchase as a yearling, is a half-brother to the smart US Grade 2 winner King of Gosford and he offered encouragement when runner-up on debut at Kempton in October. General Admission found one with previous experience too strong but he ran to a fair level at the first attempt and is open to improvement.

16:40 Angel Of Antrim

ANGEL OF ANTRIM has been an emphatic winner over this course and distance on his last couple of starts and looks up to completing the hat-trick.

The application of a visor in place of cheekpieces seemed the catalyst for a return to form on Angel of Antrim’s penultimate start and he then produced an even better effort to defy an 8 lb higher mark on Tuesday. He should be tough to beat under a 5lb penalty for that four-and-three-quarter-length success.

17:10 Sanat

SANAT was progressive during the summer and won at Nottingham on his final start for Roger Varian.

He’s a well-bred and strong-travelling sort so he looks capable of better starting out for his new yard from a mark only 3lb higher than at Nottingham. He gets the vote over Castan who has finished in the frame on his last three starts and should give another good account.

17:40 Cherry King

CHERRY KING kept on well when beaten only a length and a quarter in fourth at Chelmsford last time, and he might have been even closer had he not been short of room inside the final furlong.

That was his most encouraging effort yet, and he doesn’t have many miles on the clock for a four-year-old, so he could still do a bit better. That unexposed profile marks him out in this company.

18:10 Yaahobby

YAAHOBBU was a respectable third in a seven-furlong handicap here last time and he had looked unlucky not to finish closer when seventh over this course and distance on his penultimate start on his first crack at a mile.

He was making headway when short of room inside the final couple of furlongs but he kept to his task when in the clear, looking worth another go at the trip. He would have good claims if able to replicate the sort of form he showed when winning back-to-back seven-furlong handicaps here in the autumn.