We are back on the tapeta for the 5th night of the Racing League on Thursday as a 7 race card gets underway at Newcastle with a 2-mile handicap at 5:45. We have no less than 5 last time out winners in this field which looks like being one of the strongest races run in the Racing League this year. The race will almost certainly revolve around the Sir Mark Prescott trained Synergism. He has won 3 of his 5 starts on an artificial surface and like so many of his stablemates, he has improved significantly for the step up in trip this summer. He arrives here on the back of a 2-length success at Kempton, but at the time of writing he is as short as 6/4 and given that the runner-up was faster than he was over the last 2-furlongs at Kempton on a surface that has been favouring front runners, I have enough doubts over that form to let him go, even if he does appear to be the most likely winner for the East Team. There are plenty of dangers, not least Captain Potter for the North team, who hit the line strongly with closing furlongs 13.67 and 14.62s when winning at Pontefract last time. Similar comments would also apply to Chillhi, who finished strongly when winning at Beverley. 

The market for the 12-furlong handicap at 6:15 looks to revolve around the unexposed Gran Descans. He has won 2 of his 3 starts for Harry Charlton and makes his handicap debut on a mark of 88. He was a comfortable winner under a penalty at Lingfield last time and although that form has yet to be tested, he galloped on through the line and recorded the fastest run-out speed in the field (33.8 mph). He’s a Juddmonte bred half-brother to several winners who reached ratings of 100+, so there is every chance that he may well be considerably better than his opening mark, but his form doesn’t prove it so I would rather back each-way against him and take my medicine if Gran Descans outclasses this field.