Newcastle Saturday

1.40 Education Network Handicap 7f 14yd

There is a good handicap in Supido this season, although whether it’s here I’m not so sure. He lost his way in 2025 and was well handicapped when winning at Chester on his return. He shaped well from his revised mark there last time, but was briefly outpaced dropping back to seven furlongs, and probably needs a stiffer test. This trip on a straight track will be more of a test and he deserves to be very prominent in the betting.

One with similar claims at bigger odds is the unexposed Tremolo, who makes his return from a break of over 10 months. That might be a concern in normal circumstances, but Bintola (20/1) and Wine Dark Sea (16/1) are recent examples of Harry Charlton handicappers who have defied an absence to score, and fitness is not expected to be a concern. Tremolo did well last season, winning over this trip at Kempton and at a mile at Southwell.

He’s unexposed as an all-weather handicapper and although he will benefit from a strong gallop at seven furlongs, I don’t think he needs any further and that is backed up by his pedigree, being by Bated Breath, while his all-weather record at seven furlongs reads 311. Although he ran up to his best when third over a mile here on his final start last season, his run flattened out very late and I think this will prove his optimum trip.

2.10 Jenningsbet Chipchase Stakes (Group 3) 6f

Heavenly Heather may prove best at five furlongs, which is the one worry here, but she’s a winner over seven here and has progressed again of late, running a blinder when second to Jakajaro at York before finishing inches behind that rival when the pair were fifth and sixth in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot.

She did some excellent late work that day to suggest that she will be just as effective back at this trip at a track where she has finished first or second seven times. Heavenly Heather clearly thrives in a well-run race and raises her game for the tougher prizes as her latest runs show. The harder they go here, the better it will suit here, and Tracy Waggott’s mare is very much worth her place at this level.

2.40 Jenningsbet Festival Northumberland Vase Handicap 2m 56yd

Haveyoumissedme has been campaigned over much shorter distances of late, but is a course and distance winner with plenty of solid form at this trip, and his efforts in the last few months have seen the handicapper take pity, with his mark now back to 72, the same as when winning over a mile and three-quarters at Redcar in the autumn.

Four previous handicap wins all came off higher marks and although he’s now an eight-year-old, he’s been coaxed back to form by the underrated Iain Jardine and was going on well at the finish when third in an extended mile and a quarter, and he looks dangerously well treated now back at a staying trip for the first time this year.

He disappointed in this race in 2024 but arrived out of form and lost his chance when starting slowly, so it’s not hard to put a line through that effort and he should be more competitive now.

3.15 Jenningsbet Northumberland Plate Handicap 2m 56yd

I’m keen on the chances of Circus Of Rome here, with Richard Hughes’ charge progressing well since stepping up beyond a mile and a quarter last season. He was very impressive when following a Newbury win with victory in a Racing League event here last summer, going on strongly at the finish of that extended mile and a half, and looking as if further would unlock further improvement.

He duly ran well in a pair of warm mile-and-three-quarter events at Haydock and Newmarket, but has been campaigned at inadequate trips in two starts so far this season, and is expected to return to his best now tackling two miles for the first time.

Circus Of Rome caught my eye when fifth over a mile and a quarter at Goodwood on his return, given a tactically inept ride that day and fitted with a hood for no obvious reason despite stepping back half a mile in trip. A drop to a mile at Sandown next time again hinted that a plan was afoot although neither of those runs saw the handicapper take any action, and there is no doubt that neither saw Circus Of Rome in a positive light.

The midweek gamble on him for this race suggests that the subterfuge was for the benefit of having a swing at this valuable prize. Admittedly, he’s been overbet having been available at 20/1 when the market opened, but there is a good chance that he will drift as the money dries up. That would be of no concern to me and while I’d be inclined to take the best lunchtime price, I can’t see him shortening further, and would be happy to take Betfair SP.

3.45 Jenningsbet Over 200 Shops Nationwide Handicap 6f

Annaf makes obvious appeal on the form he showed here a year ago, gaining a second runners-up berth in the Chipchase Stakes and justifying a handicap mark of 105. He was rated as high as 112 the previous season and while he’s not been at his best in 2026, it would be premature to assume he’s on the downgrade.

If he can find the form that has seen him finish second in either of those races, he will win this with his head in his chest. Even if he’s on the slide a little, an overall record at Newcastle of 1142322 suggests that his first visit of the season to Gosforth Park will see a revival in his form, and he’s a big price on balance.

York Saturday

1.55 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Mile Handicap 7f 192yd

I would have preferred Blue To Blue with a better draw, but Frankies Dream looks the percentage call in the circumstances. The son of Belardo has been beaten narrowly in his last three starts, most recently when beaten half a length over a mile and one here. A strong traveller, he endured some poor luck in the run last time and should continue to be competitive despite a small rise in the weights. The stronger the gallop the better given his style of racing, and none will be finishing better if he gets the breaks.

2.25 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dash Handicap 5f

Naana’s Shadow won the equivalent contest at Epsom last time and has also run with great credit here, so merits respect, for all a 7lb hike in the weights demands further improvement. She is a thoroughly likeable filly who has speed to burn and the race ought to develop around her.

That could suit the well-treated Our Cody, who represents the same connections as last year’s surprise July Cup winner No Half Measures, with Neil Callan taking over in the plate for the first time, just as he did in the Newmarket contest. Our Cody was a very useful juvenile and was placed in listed company, and she has improved again this term, finishing a close third in a Sandown handicap before again reverting to listed company in the Scurry Stakes where she outran 40/1 odds to be beaten just over a length in fourth.

The handicapper has been kind to put her up just 1lb for those runs and she will appreciate the return to a speed-favouring track here having arguably been undone by the stiff finish at Sandown.

2.58 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Criterion Stakes (Group 3) 7f

Hardly a betting event but Never So Brave was much better than the result at Epsom where both ground and the run of the race were against him. He’s at his best when hearing his hooves rattle and looks a cut above his rivals here.

Recommended:

Tremolo 1.40 Newcastle – 1pt win @ 15/2 (SkyBet, Paddy Power; 7/1 general)

Heavenly Heather 2.10 Newcastle – 1pt e/w @ 17/2 (Bet365, Hills – 4 places)

Haveyoumissedme 2.40 Newcastle – 1pt e/w @ 20/1 (Bet365 - 5 pl; 16/1 general)

Circus Of Rome 3.15 Newcastle – 1pt win @ 3/1 (Betfair SP)

Annaf 3.45 Newcastle – 1pt e/w @ 16/1 (SkyBet, Paddy Power – 4 pl; 14/1 general)

Our Cody 2.25 York – 1pt win @ 15/2 (general)