Closutton powerhouse Willie Mullins will enjoy a rare runner at Newcastle when Gaucher lines up under Billy Loughnane on All-Weather Championships Finals Day.
Mullins – who has never had a winner on the Flat at Gosforth Park – will have high hopes as the Grade Three-winning hurdler bids to continue his burgeoning all-weather career with top-weight in the Midnite All-Weather Easter Classic Middle Distance Handicap.
On a hat-trick after two wins at Dundalk, the seven-year-old will face 13 rivals, with only Andrew Balding’s Regal Ulixes ahead of him in the ante-post market.
Alan King’s Paradias is another looking to build on an all-weather win, while the Richard and Peter Fahey-trained Bragbor has never finished out of the top three in six starts at Newcastle.
Duke Of Oxford aims to put near-misses behind him in the concluding Midnite All-Weather Easter Plate Marathon Handicap.
Michael Bell’s six-year-old was runner-up in this race in 2024 to Prydwen, who bids to regain his crown for George Scott, before finishing fourth during last year’s renewal.
Last time out in January, he won over course and distance by three lengths in the trial and is hoping to complete a treble of all-weather successes.
Ian Williams’ Cesarewitch winner Beylerbeyi heads the market, while Dramatic Star – trained by William Haggas – sits alongside Duke Of Oxford as joint second-favourite.
Al Najashi targets a five-timer for Ollie Sangster in a competitive BetMGM All-Weather 3 Year Old Championships Handicap.
He drops in trip despite dominant victories on his last two starts over seven furlongs, while Jamie Osborne’s Ten Carat Harry returns to six furlongs, a distance he has yet to taste defeat in six appearances.
Chancellor’s revival on the synthetic continues in the BetMGM All-Weather Championships Mile Handicap.
John and Thady Gosden’s gelding was second in the Listed Hyde Stakes at Kempton before defeating Tyrrhenian Sea, who he faces once again, to take the Tandridge Stakes, and finished second in the Winter Derby.
James Tate’s Blue Rc leads the way with the bookmakers.
Joseph O’Brien will travel across the Irish Sea with Coventry Stakes fourth Andab for the Listed BetMGM Burradon Stakes.
The three-year-old won on his sole all-weather start, but faces a competitive field including Karl Burke’s Amo Racing-owned Billecart, Balding’s New Monarch and Charlie Pike’s unbeaten Padraig Dawn.
Balding’s Stateira seeks to justify favouritism in the BetMGM Fillies’ And Mares’ Championships Handicap after a four-length success in the trial contest in January, while Robson De Aguiar’s prospect Carolina Jetstream eyes three straight wins.
Valiant Force, the 2023 Norfolk Stakes winner, heads the line-up in the Midnite All-Weather Sprint Handicap for Amo Racing, who also have the Kevin Philippart de Foy-trained Lakers among the 14 runners.
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