Heading into week five of the Racing League at Newcastle on Thursday night, Matty Sutcliffe has trained his value eye over the seven-strong card. He has come up with three selections for the evening meeting, including a 25/1 shot…
6:15 Newcastle – Racing League Race 30 Handicap (Horses In The Care Of Trainers Registered To Racing League)(GBBPlus) (Class 3) (3yo+ 0-88) – Circus Of Rome 11/2 1pt WIN
Richard Hughes landed this price with Kamboo last season and CIRCUS OF ROME looks to have a strong chance of landing the double. The Circus Maximus gelding was always going to come into his own as a three year old hence the late start to his two year old career, but he still showed up well in December when beaten a short head by Marhaba Ghaiyyath on his second start, pulling eleven lengths clear of the third with the winner now rated 102.
He made a winning 3yo debut in March when making all to land a Wolverhampton Novice Stakes, with that form franked by the third who’s now rated 88 after landing a Carlisle Handicap and he ran a solid race when beaten four lengths into sixth at Haydock when breaking slowly. That form’s worked out strongly too with the third winning next time out now rated 7lbs higher, and the fifth has won twice since now rated 8lbs higher including a competitive 26k class 2 at Doncaster.
Circus Of Rome then went to the valuable London Gold Cup at Newbury and fared well from the front, weakening only late on against some smart types who’ve franked the form since with the third landing the Golden Gates Stakes at Royal Ascot and the fifth and sixth both wining and running well in handicaps since.
Circus Of Rome gave his own substance to the form when landing a Newbury 0-80 off top weight next time out when upped in trip to 1m4f in a race that’s thrown up winners since, and he looks to have been kept back for a nice pot of this nature with the return to the all-weather surface to suit.
6:45 Newcastle – Racing League Race 31 Handicap (Horses In The Care Of Trainers Registered To Racing League)(GBBPlus) (Class 4) (3yo+ 0-78) – Hosanna Power 25/1 0.5pt EW4 4 places
A chance is taken on HOSANNA POWER, whose two best efforts this season have come over C&D and a repeat of either may see him good enough to take this.
The King Power owned ex-Stoute gelding peaked at a mark of 85 last season having landed a competitive 19k Newbury class three handicap prior to a third at Chepstow in 0-95 company, though went slightly off the boil since.
He fared no better on yard debut this season, but he got back on track in a 0-78 when beaten 3/4L into third by a well backed favourite who’s held that form since. He appeared to lose his action when back on turf at Ayr before once again bouncing back to form over C&D in a competitive 18k 0-100 when a length fourth, with the fifth taking a Fillies handicap at the Goodwood festival next time out.
He drops back into 0-78 company here and he’s 4lbs lower than his penultimate effort in a 0-100, so while he has to improve on last time out it would be surprising to see him not in at the finish in this markedly weaker contest.
7:15 Newcastle – Racing League Race 32 Handicap (For horses In The Care Of Trainers Registered To Racing League) (Class 2) (3yo+) – Streets Of Gold 9/1 1pt WIN
STREETS OF GOLD was a selection for the column at Chepstow two weeks ago prior to being off feed, so it only appears natural to chance him again particularly here, where he was an eyecatcher on yard debut.
The Havana Gold gelding had form figures of 11111 as a 2yo, and while his record reads 0-14 since, he’s still posted some strong efforts. He was third in both the Surrey Stakes and the Jersey Stakes as a 3yo, before dropping into handicap company last season which saw him beat two lengths in the Victoria Cup. He was evidently in the handicappers grip but still managed to be beaten a short neck in a racing league contest at Chepstow (same one he pulled out of this season) behind the subsequent Balmoral winner Carrytheone, and he was beaten only four lengths in two subsequent starts later.
His fourth over C&D on seasonal/yard debut was rock solid having only weakened late on, and he didn’t quite get the rub of the green at York last time out when beaten three lengths in a race which has thrown up winners including Dubai Treasure, who took a fillies’ handicap at Goodwood.
He’s dropped to a mark of 96 and the booking of Paul Mulrennan is a positive one, as his patient style will suit Streets Of Gold as he’s the type to be delivered right on the line.
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