Newcastle Tips: Three for Wednesday’s bumper nine-race card

Turf racing is in short supply on Wednesday, but Newcastle stages a bumper nine-race card on the Tapeta surface.

The action gets underway at 14:30 and runs all the way through to 18:50. The racing at Gosforth Park is highlighted by a competitive Class 3 handicap over the mile trip at 16:15.

15:37 - Met Office @ 4/1

The market failed to forecast Met Office’s victory at Wolverhampton nine days ago and John Butler’s charge scored at a whopping 50/1.

The six-year-old is likely to be a fair bit shorter in the one-and-a-half-mile handicap at 15:37 today, but the son of Dansili looks a good bet.

Met Office was a two-time winner in France and the six-year-old arrived at Butler’s yard with a mark of 88. The ex-French runner dropped to a rating of 76 at Wolverhampton last time out and that proved lenient enough for the six-year-old to strike.

Met Office is up five pounds today, but the gelding still looks well treated on his French form and the he will be well suited to the likely strong pace this afternoon.

16:15 - Fantastic Fox @ 5/1

The feature race on the card is the Class 3 mile handicap at 16:15 and it can go the way of Fantastic Fox.

Roger Varian’s runner achieved a rating of 100 at his peak but the five-year-old runs off a mark of 88 today. The son of Frankel showed that he retains plenty of ability when he stayed on strongly to win over a mile at Chelmsford 34 days ago and there could still be more to come.

That win was only the third artificial-surface run of Fantastic Fox’s career, and his class and unexposed all-weather profile suggests that Varian’s charge can go well this afternoon.

18:50 - Inverlochy @ 9/4

Inverlochy rates a strong selection in the final race on the card at 18:50.

Simon and Ed Crisford’s runner escapes a penalty for a commanding victory in an apprentice race at Chelmsford eight days ago and the style of that success suggests the three-year-old is way ahead of her mark.

Inverlochy travelled well in Essex and still looked a little green in the closing stages of that Chelmsford contest.

That gives the impression that there should be more to come, as the daughter of Oasis Dream gathers experience, and it also indicates that there is plenty of scope off today’s rating of 66.