Bow backed for the big prize at Newcastle

RacINg: On form, Tim Easterby’s charge stands out in Gosforth Park Cup field

Royal Ascot-winning trainer Tim Easterby is flying high and can nail another nice prize with ORION’S BOW in the Betfred Gosforth Park Cup at Newcastle.

Having won the big handicap off a mark of 91 last year, when trained by the late Dandy Nicholls, the six-yearold chestnut will find life tougher off top weight.

That should not mean Tim Easterby is expecting anything other than a huge display from the son of Pivotal.

Easterby fires three shots across the bows in the Gosforth Park Cup, but Orion’s Bow looks the stand-out contender.

And though he was never a factor in the Scottish Sprint Cup at Musselburgh a fortnight ago, that run is probably best stricken from the memory.

He was, after all, pinched for room at a crucial stage and was not given a hard time once his chance had gone.

Before that, Orion’s Bow had caught the eye in big sprint handicaps at Haydock and Ripon – so much so that he was sent off favourite at Musselburgh.

David Simcock’s horses are in fair form and the Newmarket handler was possibly unlucky not to leave Ascot last week with just one winner on the board.

AUBERGE DU LAC can keep things nicely ticking over by winning the valuable one-mile handicap at Yarmouth.

Fortune has deserted the three-yearold colt on his last two runs – most notably when he flew home at Ascot in May and ended up finishing a close-up fourth.

It was a similar story at Doncaster just under a month ago when he overcame a tardy start to take fifth place behind Afaak.

This looks a bit tougher, but Auberge Du Lac is in decent order and runs off the same mark as on Town Moor.

By contrast to some of his rivals, he will also be suited by the likelihood of cut in the ground. SELECTIONS:

NEWCASTLE:

6.00 Jordan James,

6.30 Reedanjas,

7.00 ORION’S BOW (NAP),

7.35 Marine One,

8.05 Entsar,

8.40 Cobalty Isle,

9.10 Athollblair Boy.

YARMOUTH:

2.10 Jellmood,

2.40 Prize Diva,

3.10 Incredible Dream,

3.40 Horsted Keynes,

4.10 Auberge Du Lac,

4.40 Cainhoe Star,

5.10 Sitar.

DOUBLE: Orion’s Bow and Auberge Du Lac.