Tuesday free racing tips: Step up in trip could suit overpriced outsider in Newcastle opener
- Tipstrr writer
- 3 hours ago
The opening race of Tuesday evening’s all-weather meeting at Newcastle sees nine proven performers compete for the biggest prize on the card in what appears to be a wide-open handicap.
16:15 Newcastle: Free Bets With Betuk Bet Club Handicap (1 mile 4½ furlongs)
The market leaders all have questions to answer, so there is plenty of potential value elsewhere in the market, not least in the shape of Lucander, who returns to the all-weather for the first time since early last year when he ran very well behind Lord North in a Group 3 contest over 10 furlongs at Lingfield.
Earlier in his career, he had produced two more very good performances on what are still his only two handicap runs in this sphere, finishing a close runner-up in the second of them, a Class 2 over 10f at Chelmsford.
Those two 10f all-weather runs at Lingfield and Chelmsford both saw him beaten for finishing speed and he gave the strong impression on each occasion that he could improve again if upped in distance.
Best Bet: Lucander each-way in the 16:15 at Newcastle
It has since transpired that 12 furlongs is his optimum trip and his top two career performances both came over this distance during the summer of last year when he finished a never-nearer third of eight in a valuable Class 2 handicap at Epsom, before finishing a decent fourth in a Class 2 handicap on the testing track at Ascot, both time doing his best work in the closing stages.
The fact that he makes the 646-mile round trip from Surrey as trainer George Baker’s only runner of the day catches the eye (with the notable presence of Hollie Doyle on board), and this classy performer can make the long journey worthwhile, having been overlooked in the early market.
Of the others, the top weight, Kolossal, is one of only three previous 12-furlong winners in the field and she could outrun her early prices on what is only her third run for Jamie Osborne since arriving from Germany in May.
A multiple Group and Listed winner in Germany, her stable debut for Osborne came in the valuable Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot, where she performed very encouragingly, finishing eighth of 19 when racing against the pace bias.
Going from the front in the Lancashire Oaks last time didn’t work out, but the mare will appreciate dropping back into handicap company and she could surprise on this all-weather debut carrying 4lbs lower than she was at Ascot.
Next Best Bet: Kolossal each-way in the 16:15 at Newcastle
- Preview and tips provided by Steve Jones, who runs CD Systems Daily Bargain on Tipstrr
