Newcastle Racing Tips: Back Birkenhead

• A Newcastle NAP and Next Best from Timeform

Newcastle Nap - 17:15 - Back Birkenhead

Paul Midgley's BIRKENHEAD is down to a winning mark and he can land the 5f handicap at Newcastle on Saturday.

The seven-year-old has won at Newcastle off 62 and at Southwell off 63, but is down to a mark of 60 now and he caught the eye with how he stayed on last time out at Wolverhampton.

Returning to this track should help and he's taken to get the better of the in-form Gustav Graves.

Next Best - 17:45 - Back Mereside Madness

MERESIDE MADNESS might just enjoy seven furlongs at Newcastle and he's taken to land the BetMGM: It's Showtime Handicap at 5.45.

David & Nicola Barron's horse was a running-on second here over six furlongs two starts ago and he ran well over a mile at Southwell last time out.

Both of those runs point to seven furlongs being a nice distance for him and this looks the perfect track for connections to find out.