Good Friday tips for the All-Weather Championships
The All-Weather Championships are back with a bang on Friday afternoon with the first four races on the card sponsored by BetMGM.
Six of the seven races on Friday’s card have attracted full fields of 14 runners and there are several competitive handicaps to get stuck into.
We have picked out selections for all seven races at Newcastle on Good Friday including a couple of value picks at decent odds.
13:15 – Newcastle - 1m BetMGM Burradon Stakes
It’s hard to get away from the claims of Royal Playwright in Newcastle’s opener on Friday. This son of Lope De Vega out of Arabian Queen (Juddmonte International winner) hit the crossbar in the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes last season and sets a rock solid standard on that form dropping in class here.
The yard have had a spectacular start to the campaign with winners at Newmarket this week and this well-bred sort is likely to be hard to beat if he takes to the all-weather.
Selection: Royal Playwright
13:50 – Newcastle - 6f BetMGM All-Weather 3 Year Old Championships Handicap
It could be a good day for Andrew Balding who also has a strong hand in the three-year-old sprint.
Marchogion could be the one to side with. He wasn’t seen to best effect at Lingfield last time but he bolted up from the front at Southwell on his penultimate start and a return to front-running tactics may see him in a better light here.
Selection: Marchogion
14:25 – Newcastle - 7f BetMGM Fillies' And Mares' Championships Handicap
Hat-trick seeking Cloud Cover puts more than half of the field out of the handicap with her rating of 103 and there’s a suspicion there’s still more to come from this lightly raced five-year-old.
Her course and distance success last time out is worth marking up, as she recovered plenty of ground from rear off a steady pace and she can continue on her upward curve with her trainer, James Tate, in flying form in recent weeks (three winners from his last seven runners at time of writing).
Selection: Cloud Cover
15:00 – Newcastle - 1m BetMGM All-Weather Championships Mile Handicap
In one of the most competitive handicaps on Friday’s card we take a chance on Symbol Of Light who has been let off lightly by the handicapper for his two recent wins.
The latest success is worth marking up, getting the better of a well-treated rival despite a poor run and he bolted up on his penultimate outing so he’s clearly on an upward trajectory.
Selection: Symbol Of Light
15:35 – Newcastle - 6f BetUK All-Weather Sprint Handicap
Marshman ran a cracker on turf on Lincoln day when third in the Cammidge but he’s even better on all-weather and he ought to appreciate the drop in class to handicap company. A strong pace looks guaranteed here which will suit and he looks capable of gaining another synthetic surface success.
Selection: Marshman
16:07 – Newcastle - 1m2f BetUK All-Weather Easter Classic Middle Distance Handicap
Savvy Victory looks a bit overpriced in the middle-distance handicap. He may have needed his recent return at Doncaster last month and he looks fairly treated on his course and distance success towards the back end of last year.
Selection: Savvy Victory
16:42 – Newcastle - 2m½f BetUK All-Weather Championships Marathon Handicap
Plenty of these are on a bit of a roll, none more so than Roaring Legend who is bidding for a four-timer.
His new connections seem to have really found the key to him on the all-weather this year and this course and distance winner won with plenty in hand at Lingfield last time. An 8lb rise may underestimate him.
Selection: Roaring Legend
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Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation