Stargazer has sights set on a decent prize at Newcastle
– Stargazer can put the record straight with victory in the Play 4Toscore Handicap at Newcastle today.
Trained by Phil Kirby, the former Sir Michael Stoute inmate got his head in front on the Tapeta track here in March, when passing the post first in a valuable handicap - only for the stewards to intervene.
The five-year-old drifting to his left was ruled by the local officials to have been enough to deny Island Brave victory in race decided by a nose.
Whether that was the right call can be debated, because a loose horse made things difficult for rider Kevin Stott - who was himself momentarily hampered and would have been a clear winner.
That run came on the back of Stargazer’s most promising first run for Kirby when second here over 3250m – and, while three
London
outings on turf since have not gone as might have been hoped, he ought to be cherry ripe for what is another decent prize.
Helping his cause is the fact he is back to a mark of 95 and is a horse who clearly likes it around Gosforth Park. He does not have many miles on the clock for his age, either.
It would be folly to side against Big Kitten on his return to Tyneside for the Betway Handicap.
The three-year-old has some excellent all-weather form - including when beaten by four lengths into second at Chelmsford behind Gronkowski, who went on to finish second to Triple Crown hero Justify in the Belmont Stakes in America.
That effort sandwiched two Newcastle runs, a second and a victory, before he left Mark Johnston for William Haggas.
He was last seen at Doncaster at the end of October having his first outing for Haggas, coming off a break of 227 days and running a bit better than his final placing would suggest.
With that under his belt and back on a surface he enjoys, a big effort is expected.
Orion’s Bow is another who operates well at Newcastle and should do so again in the Sprint Handicap.
Tim Easterby’s gelding has not won for a while, coming down plenty in the weights as a result. But there have been one or two good efforts along the way - and he has only been out of the places once in five starts here, winning twice.
Over jumps at Market Rasen, Lucinda Russell has Ryalex ready to go again in the Handicap Chase after his Carlisle romp 10 days ago.
The seven-year-old carries a 3.5kg penalty, but such was the ease of his belated first victory under rules it is hard to believe he will not be able to defy that and plenty more in future.
There is a decent card over at Thurles, where Alpha Des Obeaux should get back on the winning trail in the Boomerang Chase.
Formerly a high-class hurdler and chaser for Mouse Morris, the Gigginstown House Stud-owned eight-year-old joined Gordon Elliott earlier this year and made a promising debut for his new trainer when fifth in the Munster National at Limerick under a big weight.
With that run under his belt, he was expected to put up a strong defence of his crown in last week’s Clonmel Oil Chase and, though he came up a little short behind the exciting Kemboy, he performed admirably to finish second.
He faces just two rivals as he returns just a week later in this Listed contest and, while the returning Valseur Lido is well treated by the race conditions, Alpha Des Obeaux’s fitness advantage should see him come out on top – providing the race does not come too soon. –