Cue Card’s trainer Colin Tizzard has had a stranglehold on this race in recent years with Hey Big Spender winning on three of the last four occasions. Having been retired in the spring, Tizzard attempts to add to that run with Masters Hill parachuted in for an in-form yard. He put in an impressive performance to finish a neck second to potentially smart chaser Salubrious when giving 7lbs in a small-field with the other runners finishing absolutely nowhere. He races off the same mark and could be potentially well-treated on his previous effort whilst the testing conditions over this trip will also be in his favour. That run will have brought him on and Tizzard thinks he has “a leading chance” in his bid to reclaim this prize.
It is a wide-open affair and with plenty of decent prices on offer it’s worth having a stab at one who remains with scope. Virak races off top-weight, but with promising conditional jockey, Harry Cobden claiming 7lbs, he effectively races off level-weights with other market-principle Wakanda. Sue Smith’s charge was trounced by him last season and although he may bridge the gap somewhat, it is hard to see him reversing places on recent form. Virak made his comeback in a very deep contest with Pendra and Double Ross filling first and second spot and Paul Nicholls drops him from graded-level in to this handicap so he must surely still be racing ahead of his mark as just a six-year-old with his rivals needing to find a minimum of 8lbs on official ratings. He hit the first at Ascot last time out, but jumped pretty soundly thereafter without ever really getting in to the race; he should be fitter for the run and is sure to go close.
Final Assault looks an improving sort, but this is a tough ask for him to follow up on his Class 3 Ayr success under a 9lb hike. The Last Samurai could be another on the upgrade but is arguably best watched on his reappearance. The cohort of older horses – which includes Cloudy Too, Shotavodka and Milborough – look exposed at their current marks and are passed over for the aforementioned selections.
1pt win Masters Hill @6/1; 1pt win Virak @7/1, 14:40 Newcastle
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