Beylerbeyi
The Ian Williams-trained six-year-old has won nine of his 42 starts on the Flat, but his biggest success by some way came when winning the Cesarewitch at Newmarket in October under a superb ride from Billy Loughnane, who is set to on board once again.
Three subsequent runs have seen the Invincible Spirit gelding finish third once and runner-up twice, and he posted a career-best Racing Post Rating of 107 on his most recent outing at Lingfield a month ago.
Despite his Cesarewitch success over 2m2f, Beylerbeyi’s three runs this year have come over 1m2f and 1m3f. The fact he now runs in the 2m Midnite All-Weather Easter Plate Marathon Handicap suggests those earlier outings were designed with this target in mind.
Al Najashi
A remarkable spell of improvement has seen Al Najashi shoot up the ratings during a run of four consecutive wins, and he will be chasing a fifth in the BetMGM All-Weather Three-Year-Old Championships Handicap.
The three-year-old was winning off a lowly mark of 53 four starts ago at Southwell, while his latest success at Newcastle came off a mark 22lb higher (75) when he justified 1-4 favouritism over the same course and distance he tackles on Friday.
The Ollie Sangster-trained colt’s best effort arguably came two starts ago when he posted a career-best RPR of 88 when recording a 13-length success. His Newcastle assignment represents by far the toughest task he has faced as a handicapper, but further improvement looks likely.
Chancellor
The Cheveley Park Stud-owned Chancellor was withdrawn from the Tattersalls Horses-in-Training Autumn Sale in October, a move which has resulted in an upturn in his form, having won twice and finished second twice since.
A victory at Kempton in November was followed by a run which saw him record a career-best RPR when second in the Listed Hyde Stakes, before he landed the Listed Tandridge Stakes at Southwell on his next start.
The four-year-old was then beaten a neck by Sky Safari when stepped up to Group 3 company in the Winter Derby when failing to justify 4-6 favouritism.
Chancellor returns to handicaps in the BetMGM All-Weather Championships Mile, in which John and Thady Gosden’s runner will carry top weight.
Marshman
There are plenty of interesting contenders in the Midnite All-Weather Sprint Handicap, but Karl Burke holds a strong hand in the shape of Marshman, who bids to go two places better than when third in the race last year when sent off the 3-1 favourite.
The six-year-old has been beaten on all four starts since and recorded his last win in the Listed Kachy Stakes last February, which followed a Class 2 handicap success over this course and distance off a mark of 102. This race looks likely to have been the long-term target, and a repeat of last year’s effort when running off 110 could be enough off a 5lb lower mark.
Gaucher
It will come as no surprise that a Willie Mullins-trained runner on the Flat at Newcastle catches the eye.
The multiple champion jumps trainer has entered Gaucher in the Midnite All-Weather Easter Classic Middle Distance Handicap, with the son of Frankel seeking a hat-trick, having won his last two starts at Dundalk by a combined margin of 11 and a half lengths to take his all-weather record to two wins from three starts.
The seven-year-old has won four times over hurdles, with three of those victories coming at Grade 3 level.
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