Steve Mullen guides you through Monday’s racing at Newcastle, Southwell, Thirsk, Windsor and Wolverhampton
WINDSOR
4.55
PENTLAND LAD looks the one to beat if he can reproduce his good all-weather form back on the green stuff.
He won a couple of times at Kempton before the line came a stride too soon at Chelmsford last time.
He goes off the same mark today and should be right there again.
Valentino Sunrise had been off five months before finishing third here in a similar race last time and is capable of better.
Kwela was a narrow second at Lingfield latest coming back from seven months off and she also relished dropping to this distance too.
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5.25
EMTEN is bred to be speedy with several winning juveniles in the family. Any support in the betting for this debut would be interesting.
Kuwait Direction was a relatively expensive buy as a yearling and should know his job on debut coming from the Hannon team.
Brian Meehan has made a decent start to the season so his Top Buck is another to watch in the market.
6.00
PORTO FERRO is having her first run over course and distance since winning well from 4lb higher in the weights. She didn’t show much after that success but is capable of bouncing back.
Ladweb has had a wind operation and has bits and pieces of form that would be good enough to win this. He is down the weights and a market move would be telling.
Essaka likes it here and saves his best for this distance. He should be on the premises coming back from a break.
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6.30
JUST BRILLIANT is an interesting handicap debutant as he resumes his interrupted career.
He looked a nice prospect when winning a Newmarket maiden as a two-year-old but has had just a couple of runs since then, including when showing lots of promise when second at Kempton latest. He should improve for this step up in distance too.
Follow Intello is back from a break but ran a decent race in his first handicap at Kempton in November. He shapes as though there’s a lot more to come.
Allegiant didn’t like the soft ground when last seen at Brighton in October and will be happier on this surface with the champion jockey on board.
7.00
GLOBAL HEAT put in two solid efforts when second at Chelmsford and then third at Leicester last time out. He’s been gelded since that last run in October and has plenty of potential.
Durston should make a nice three-year-old after a close second at Nottingham last time out in November.
Sinjaari is another with a bright future and he has a fitness edge over the other two from a good comeback at Redcar earlier this month.
7.30
PERSIAN SUN got off the mark at Newcastle last time out in December coming back from a break. He relished a similar trip to this there and starts handicapping from what could be a lenient mark.
New Show wasn’t asked too many questions on his comeback at Newbury last time. He won a novice contest last season and should have more to offer.
Running Cloud ran his best race for a long time when beaten less than a length at Kempton last time. That was over this trip and he’ll be thereabouts again.
8.00
DURRELL has moved to the excellent James Fanshawe from Luca Cumani having shown lots of promise on two outings at Chelmsford and Newcastle. He has been gelded over the winter too and should have a lot more to offer.
Molotov is nicely bred and should relish this mile looking at other members of his close family. Watch the betting for clues ahead of this debut.
Lady Madison won on debut at Chelmsford and ran close to that form when fourth at Kempton. She’s back from a break here and should make a nice three-year-old.
NEWCASTLE
2.20 Scuzeme
2.50 Dutch Decoy
3.20 Be Perfect
3.55 Super Kid
4.25 Bowerman
5.00 Lord North
5.30 Oriental Splendour
SOUTHWELL
2.10 Smashing Lass
2.40 Bettys Hope
3.10 Piper Arrow
3.45 Fire Diamond
4.15 Katheefa
4.45 Ranch Hand
5.20 Loose Chippings
THIRSK
5.05 Willow Brook
5.40 Munhamek
6.10 Reasoned
6.40 George Mallory
7.10 Wrenthorpe
7.40 Buckland Boy
8.10 Donnelly’s Rainbow
WOLVERHAMPTON
2.00 Oxygenic
2.30 Second Collection
3.00 Willkommen
3.30 Gemini
4.05 Astraea
4.35 Mokammal
5.10 Grey Mist