Horse Racing Tips: Frank Hickey’s Friday ITV Racing fancies on all-weather finals day

Frank's back in the ring for another swing as the All-weather finals at Newcastle take centre stage with Lingfield on ITV Racing.

By / Horse Racing Tips / 4 weeks ago

Frank’s Friday All-Weather Racing Tips

13:18 Newcastle – Habrdi (each-way)
13:53 Newcastle – Citizen General (each-way)
14:05 Lingfield – Bystander (each-way)
14:25 Newcastle – Fire Demon
14:40 Lingfield – Benavente (each-way)
15:00 Newcastle – Aramis Grey (each-way)
15:15 Lingfield – Red Flyer (each-way)
15:35 Newcastle – The X O (each-way)
16:10 Newcastle – Hooking (each-way)
16:40 Newcastle – Fast Raaj (each-way)

*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.

13:18 Newcastle – Habrdi (each-way)

Room Service won the big sales race at the Doncaster St Leger meeting when last seen, but I’m worried about him getting a stiff mile on his pedigree. Silent Age is two from two and is fairly well bred being by Dubawi out of a mare who is a half sister to Rebel’s Romance and Measured Time. He could improve plenty but the market is pricing him up as if he is a certainty to jump to a 100 plus rating, but he has only won two really slowly-run races, albeit very easily.

Orne was third at Lingfield earlier in the month in a Listed race last time when carrying a penalty for his Group 3 Horris Hill win in November over 7f and looks the one to beat. However, Habrdi was three lengths behind him that day, but was held up further back in a steadily enough run race.

The drop in trip to 7f probably wasn’t ideal for him either. The return to a stiff mile will really suit him, while Dylan Browne McMonagle takes over from Laura Pearson in the saddle. Habrdi bolted up at Chelmsford prior to that in December off a mark of 83 and that form has worked out reasonably well. He’s an each-way shout.

13:53 Newcastle – Citizen General (each-way)

You could argue that Citizen General is more exposed than most here with 21 career starts and 14 of them on the all-weather. He was extremely impressive at the beginning of February at Kempton over two miles when a very easy winner off a mark of 89. He got a 7lb rise for that but he isn’t fully exposed at two miles and he did win by four and a half lengths last time when travelling really powerfully. He is also two from four at Newcastle.

14:05 Lingfield – Bystander (each-way)

Asgards Captain is really progressive and was an easy winner at Newcastle on Monday but will have a 5lb penalty now. The worry is that since joining Dylan Cunha he has only had one disappointing run and that was at this venue.

Bystander is completely unexposed with only four career starts and he was gelded after being turned over on his debut at Redcar last April as a 10/11 shot. He returned at Newcastle in December and bolted up but was then turned over under a penalty at Newcastle. He made his handicap debut at Lingfield at the beginning of March off a mark of 80 and he won fairly comprehensively. He’s up 6lbs but he in time could be much better than his rating of 86.

 

14:25 Newcastle – Fire Demon

Fire Demon is very well bred and he got off the mark at the fourth attempt in a maiden at Kempton in January over 6f. He disappointed on his handicap debut at Lingfield off 83 but reversed that form with Media Shooter when very well backed at Kempton. He got 5lbs for that win and Media Shooter got 4lbs. He is far from a certainty but considering his breeding and how good he looked in the two Kempton wins, I am sticking with him until he hits his ceiling rating.

14:40 Lingfield – Benavente (each-way)

Benavente ran well at Dundalk over the winter and bolted up at Southwell last month off a mark of 78. He got bumped up 7lbs and while the form hasn’t worked out that well, it was very pleasing on the eye. The worry is that he needs a more galloping track as he does stay 10f. If they go hard up front it will play to his strengths over this 1m trip though and I can see him coming home well given his proven stamina.

15:00 Newcastle – Aramis Grey (each-way)

Aramis Grey was second in this contest last year when it was run as a Conditions race. The first four home were rated 107, 93 (Queen Aramis), 101 and 103. She has finished in the first three in 28 of her 36 runs on the all-weather. She hasn’t tonnes in hand off her current mark of 95 and while she has finished behind the re-opposing Shades Of Summer at the start of the month, it was her first run after a three-month break. Aramis Grey was a length behind that day, but looking at the sectionals, she was getting a 15lb upgrade, while the winner was getting a 10lb upgrade. That would give you hope that she can reverse the form now, particularly now with a 4lb swing in the weights.

 

15:15 Lingfield – Red Flyer (each-way)

Red Flyer beat Citizen General at Kempton in January off a mark of 82 and was a neck second to Spartan Army at Lingfield off a mark of 85. She was a fair fourth here last time behind Spartan Army, Prydwen and Vaguely Royale. She probably doesn’t have much in hand off this mark but she is in form and has won at this track.

15:35 Newcastle – The X O (each way)

The X O ran well in third when this was a Conditions race last year behind Desert Cop and Shouldvebeenaring with Perdika back in fifth. He followed that with a fine second in the Commonwealth Trial at Ascot when he split Cold Case and Bradsell. He ran in the Grade 1 Commonwealth Cup but was down the field and then missed the rest of the season before having three quick runs in February. He’s dropped from a mark of 104 to 99 and caught the eye at Lingfield on his last start off 100, when caught wide and he made a big move mid-race to go from near the back to lead and then his effort flattened out.

16:10 Newcastle – Hooking (each-way)

Elegant Man is the fascinating one after just three starts, winning two of them impressively and finishing second to Rebels Romance on the other start. However, 108 is hardly a gimme of a mark. We know the French raiders had a decent record while targeting this meeting when the races weren’t all handicaps.

Hooking is six from 12 on the all-weather and he won his last two in Listed races at Cagnes Sur Mer. He has won six of his last seven on the all-weather with a half-length second thrown in the middle of all those wins. He won last time carrying a penalty and the second and third were then first and second in a follow-up race.

Hooking was second in a Longchamp Group 3 in June behind West Wind Blows, who was second in a Hardwicke Stakes on his next start and flourished in Australia when finishing second in the Turnball Stakes and the Caufield Cup. He may be eight years old but it is only since the end of last year that he really seemed to find his best form and he has been improving ever since.

16:40 Newcastle – Fast Raaj (each-way)

Fast Raaj was a Group 3 winner as a three year old at Deauville over 7f. He’s really proving to be an all-weather specialist in France and is seven for 12 on the all-weather. His style of racing should be suited by Newcastle as he’ll likely to be held up off the pace and delivered late.

Frank’s Friday All-Weather Racing Tips

13:18 Newcastle – Habrdi (each-way)
13:53 Newcastle – Citizen General (each-way)
14:05 Lingfield – Bystander (each-way)
14:25 Newcastle – Fire Demon
14:40 Lingfield – Benavente (each-way)
15:00 Newcastle – Aramis Grey (each-way)
15:15 Lingfield – Red Flyer (each-way)
15:35 Newcastle – The X O (each-way)
16:10 Newcastle – Hooking (each-way)
16:40 Newcastle – Fast Raaj (each-way)

*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.

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