Ten Carat Harry maintained his perfect all-weather record as he featured among six winners who teed up £15,000 bonus bids on the first All-Weather Championships Trials Day meeting of the season on Friday, January 16.
Six £45,000 handicaps on the card at Newcastle offered free entry to the corresponding Finals Day race, as well as a £15,000 bonus should they go on to win on Good Friday.
Today’s winners could yet see their bonuses swell to £35,000 if they go on to victory at the other All-Weather Championships Trials Day at Lingfield Park on February 27 before scoring on Good Friday.
Ten Carat Harry headed into the BetMGM AWC 3YO Trial Handicap on the back of four straight handicap wins for Jamie Osborne, with the son of Ardad having also captured a Wolverhampton novice in September.
With Saffie Osborne riding in Dubai, Billy Loughane took over in the saddle and the reigning All-Weather Champion Jockey travelled confidently throughout, taking up the running two furlongs from home before forging on for a comfortable success.
Loughnane said: “Ten Carat Harry has a super attitude, which we have seen in his last couple of races. Ideally, I would have taken little bit more of a sit but he was fast out and the track is playing to be ridden forward today, so I was happy just to leave him were he was comfortable. He was tough.
“He has been a model of consistency all winter and just keeps improving. He has shown that he can do it at any track – obviously, it’s nice that the finals are back up here and he has shown that he can perform here as well. He has a super attitude and is a straightforward ride. It’s good to get the job done.”
Class prevailed in the BetMGM AWC Mile Trial Handicap as the Richard Hannon-trained Witch Hunter overcame a mark of 101 to deny stablemate and 2024 Mile final winner Talis Evolvere.
Last season’s Mile final scorer Storm Star attempted to make all, but a host of horses looked poised to challenge entering the final furlong. Top-weight Witch Hunter flashed home under Sean Levey to score decisively by a length and a half.
Levey said: “Witch Hunter is a beautiful horse and every owner’s dream. He is a decent horse who has been competitive at the highest level. His biggest success was a G2, so he has always had the ability there, and he’s quite durable. He is holding that consistency to be able to rock up in these sort of events. On a straight mile, he is very competitive.”
Stateira laid down a strong Good Friday marker with a commanding performance under Oisin Murphy in the BetMGM AWC Fillies & Mares Trial Fillies' Handicap.
Dropping back to seven furlongs for the first time since her debut win at Southwell in February, the 6/4F was at the head of affairs throughout and quickened away inside the final quarter-mile to score by four lengths over Nikki Swango.
Murphy said: “I think the plan has been to come here for quite a while. She is probably not a natural seven-furlong horse as she’s from a family that would suggest she wants at least a mile and a quarter, but the stiff track suited her and she’s progressing. She is a big, quality filly who worked very nicely in the early part of last season. Unfortunately, due to her size, she had a few setbacks but she’s in really good shape now.”
Duke Of Oxford (5/1) saw several strong efforts in defeat at Newcastle rewarded with a first course win in the Midnite AWC Marathon Trial Handicap.
The Michael Bell-trained six-year-old had made the frame in the last two editions of the Marathon final, in addition to finishing third in the 2024 Northumberland Plate, and returned north on the back of a third success in the London Stayers' Series Final.
Covered up in mid-field by Hector Crouch, Duke Of Oxford travelled strongly into the race in the straight and went clear after collaring Ribble Vibe over a furlong out, hitting the line three lengths to the good.
Crouch said: “Duke Of Oxford has been a little bit unlucky here in the past. He has run very well in the Northumberland Plate and on Finals Day. He loves that race at Kempton and is in the form of his life at the moment. Michael has him in great order and he’s qualified for Finals Day now, so I would imagine that he will have a little freshen-up and be back here in April.”
Co-owner Andrew Cope added: “We were really pleased about the last run at Kempton and he has always run fairly well at Newcastle, so we were just hoping that he could prove himself again. I was really impressed with him today and fingers crossed we will be back here on Finals Day after a rest.”
King’s Code continued his fine season for David Evans with an impressive victory in the Midnite AWC Middle Distance Trial Handicap. The six-year-old had already annexed big-field handicaps at Kempton Park and Chelmsford and was dropping back to a mile and a quarter after running over 12 furlongs at Wolverhampton on Boxing Day.
Having cruised into contention down the stands’ rail under Pat Cosgrave, the 18/1 chance soon took control two furlongs out before hitting the line well to score decisively over the Ian Williams-trained duo of Parlando and Beylerbeyi.
Pat Cosgrave said: “I haven’t ridden King’s Code for a while, but he won well twice earlier in the season. I think the last two runs have been in small fields and you get no cover in those races, whereas getting a bit of cover helped him today. When I let him go at the two, I thought the race was over pretty quickly. He is sneaking up the handicap and it was a tougher race today, but you can never discount one of Dave’s horses.”
The Caltonian bounced back to form at his favourite track with a surprise 33/1 success in the Midnite AWC Sprint Trial Handicap. Linda Perratt’s flag-bearer had registered five previous victories at Newcastle, but was winless in 10 starts since beating last season’s Sprint final victor We Never Stop at the start of last year.
Hampered shortly after the start, The Caltonian made good headway down the far rail and found plenty for Kieran O’Neill after taking up the running just inside the final quarter-mile to prevail by three-quarters of a length over 100/30F Pocklington.
Perratt said: “The Caltonian has had some great days. He was in the lead for AW Horse of the Year a couple of years ago and then unfortunately got brought down. It took us about three or four months to get him back because he had quite a bad bump on his leg. I think he was unlucky last time and we dragged him to Wolverhampton, which probably wasn’t his idea track, but it was abandoned because of snow so we came here!
“I am delighted for the owner John Murphy, who has been very patient and thankfully it has paid off.”
