Newcastle All Weather Finals Preview

All-Weather Finals Day at Newcastle takes centre stage on Good Friday with a highly-competitive seven-race offering from Gosforth Park.

They race at Newcastle from 13:18-16:40 and we're marking your card for the first of the major events over a busy Easter Weekend.

13:18 - BetMGM Burradon Stakes (Listed, 1m)

Orne is the benchmark for the Gosden team and should be sharper and less gassy than on his Lingfield comeback recently. He's a big player, but does carry a 5lb penalty for his Newmarket success in the autumn and that might help open the door for SILENT AGE. Charlie Appleby's charge is 2-2 and looked like one destined for much better things when defying a penalty at Wolverhampton five weeks ago.

Selection: Silent Age @ 9/4

13:53 - BetUK All-Weather Championships Marathon Handicap (2m)

Having kicked into a decisive lead on the final bend at Lingfield four weeks ago, it looked as though SPARTAN ARMY was going to prove vulnerable when eventual second Prydwen arrived to challenge very late on. However, Alan King's in-form son of Highland Reel soon found a little more and completed his hat-trick. He has gone up another 4lb, but may well still continue his winning spree.

Selection: Spartan Army @ 3/1

14:25 - BetMGM All-Weather 3 Year Old Championships Handicap (6f)

Irish raider TARSUS was only having his second run over this 6f trip when he won at Dundalk last month, beating course specialist Harry's Bar in convincing fashion in a Conditions race. An opening handicap mark of 92 is within range for Andrew Slattery's charge and he looks set to go well at a decent price in this 3YO sprint.

Selection: Tarsus @ 9/1

15:00 - BetMGM Fillies' And Mares' Championships Handicap (7f)

Nine Tenths and Shades Of Summer are the pair atop the market and deservedly so for William Haggas and Jane Chapple-Hyam respectively, but JUST A SPARK can provide them with some food for thought. The Rod Millman-trained filly completed an early 2024 hat-trick of wins at Wolverhampton and Kempton and her most recent effort at Southwell can be overlooked. Oisin Murphy remains in the plate now and this daughter of Bungle Inthejungle could be a key player when tackling this extra furlong.

Selection: Just A Spark @ 10/1

15:35 - BetUK All-Weather Sprint Handicap (6f)

Albasheer was a decisive 5f winner here a fortnight ago, with BILLYJOH filling the runner-up slot. On that occasion the winner got a dream passage close to the nearside rail, while Frederick Larson had to manoeuvre through traffic to make his challenge on Billyjoh. They were closing at the line and it would have got very interesting over an extra furlong, which is on offer now, while the second has a handy pull at the weights too. He's a solid each-way player.

Selection: Billyjoh @ 14/1

16:10 - BetUK All-Weather Easter Classic Middle Distance Handicap (1m2)

Plenty of these are progressive and none more so than PENZANCE for Mick Appleby. He won here on New Year's Day in good style and has since brought up a four-timer with a stylish win at Lingfield at the start of this month. There looks to be more to come. To Catch A Thief was a letdown in that New Year's Day contest here, but could easily show up much better now for the Haggas yard.

Selection: Penzance @ 7/2

16:40 - BetMGM All-Weather Championships Mile Handicap (1m)

A wide open contest to finish things off, with SYMBOL OF LIGHT taken to shine for Julie Camacho and Ryan Sexton. The ex-Godolphin inmate missed 518 days prior to joining this yard, but has shown he retains plenty of ability since his comeback over C&D last June, when beaten narrowly into fourth. Here and at Kempton in his two most recent starts he's finished second, attempting to make late gains under patient tactics and relying, to some degree, on luck. Earlier on in his career he had some promising form when ridden more aggressively and it will be interesting for him now if kept closer in the early exchanges as he seems to be on a workable mark.

Selection: Symbol Of Light @ 7/1