Friday ITV Racing Tips: Two more added for Finals Day with Cover Up and Bystander

• Alan previews the big races on Finals Day

• Cover Up a new selection at 9/25.50 for sprint honours

• Read Alan's antepost preview here

• Serial Winners Fund: Rachael adds £20k to the pot during 2024 Cheltenham Festival

Newcastle - 13:53: Back Citizen General

Citizen General was the selection in the Antepost Column earlier this week on Tuesday and he's still at 12/113.00 despite dipping down to 10/111.00 on the Sportsbook on Wednesday.

Max Vega has been declared (as he had two options) and he keeps the weights down as top one here from 108 and Citizen General off 96 has to improve, but he's a stayer on the up and he did win as a 3yo over Newcastle's 1m4f, so there's a fair bit to like about him with course form.

Newcastle - 14:25: Back Sommelier

Sommelier was another of my ante-post selections at 5s, and he's now 4/15.00 second favourite for the 3yo Championships Handicap over 6f.

He's drawn in seven which I have to be happy about as I don't like horses drawn over the far side on the straight track and his trainer Marco Botti has a decent strike-rate at Newcastle with a win rate of around 17% and a placed record of 37%.

Newcastle - 15:35: Back Cover Up

The 6f All-Weather Sprint Handicap looks red-hot and a fine collection of sprinters are in here with joint-favourites Batal Dubai and Cover Up both at 9/25.50.

The former ties in with Chipstead and Summerghand from the Trial race at Lingfield earlier in the winter, where as Cover Up comes from a slightly different angle winning races from 83 and 87 to mark himself down as a sprinter on the up for John Gosden. He's now on PB grounds.

I really liked his win at Newcastle in a 0-95 last time, and he hammered Moon Flight over 5f by 3L. He's a horse with plenty of natural speed and travels well for a fast horse, and his ability to quicken will be put to the test here against some hardened sprinters.

He ran a 10.90 sectional in the middle of the race and it was efficient on the clock too with the finishing speed, and I have no worries with him up to 6f. I actually see him as a potential horse for the Group 2 Sprint at York, as I can see a nice flat track suiting him.

Gosden over 6f at Newcastle has a record of 3-14 at 21% too and Cover Up has a good draw towards the stands' side.

Newcastle - 16:10: Back Blanchland

The Easter Classic is another fine race and my pick Blanchland is still in at 10s, and has drifted on the Sportsbook from 8/19.00.

The draw could be kinder in 13 out wide over 1m2f, but I do like the booking of Rossa Ryan, who is one of the jockeys who makes fewer mistakes than most and he's 1-8 over CD here.

I am pretty happy with him as an each-way bet as I think he'll stay ever so strongly.

Newcastle - 16:40: No Bet

McLean House was entered in the Vase race at Lingfield but he's in here at 8/19.00 which looks a lot tougher, and he's held by the favourite Dear My Friend from their meeting last time. So it's one that got away as I advised him at 4s for Lingfield earlier in the week.

I toyed with the idea of backing and putting up Kingdom Come at 7s, but his ragged starts are a bit of problem and he won despite one of those at Wolverhampton in the Lincoln Trial.

He looks made for the All-Weather and he has taken his record to 4-6 on the artificial, and he's drawn high to give him a chance.

Lingfield 14:05: Back Bystander

I am pretty keen on Karl Burke's chances over the next few days with Saturday too at Musselburgh, and with three of the Lingfield races on ITV, Bystander stands out at around 6/17.00 and 7/18.00 for a dart in the All-Weather Vase Middle Distance Handicap over 1m2f.

Firstly the draw isn't ideal out wide but he looked useful winning his novice at Newcastle in the winter over 1m.

He came off a break to win at Lingfield fairly recently over 1m2f, and the closing sectional there highlighted a real sprint and typical Lingfield finish for home.

He's in better company and Brandon Wilkie keeps the ride with his 5lb claim and can be a player off 86.

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