Racing League Tips: Time to cash in with Double Dealing at Newcastle

The third week brings back some repeat customers who caught the eye when unlucky in the run, and compensation awaits us.

Solar Joe is screaming out for this stamina test

The first bet of the night comes in the opening 17:45 R1 in the form of Solar Joe 5.04/1, a potential improver now moving up in distance to 1m4f for the first time.

He was a big eye-catcher in the Sunday Series at Haydock 18 days ago when doing second best of those from off the pace behind Jewel Maker, who came from a similar position. Still, the selection took the inside route and had his run blocked, while the eventual winner had a clean passage down the outside of the field - a distinct advantage over trips of 7f or further - the rest (who ran the rail) finished tired and no better than a well-beaten third.

It was a well-run contest at Haydock which should give backers every confidence that he will see out this trip strongly. He is bred to improve for today's trip move, which could be the key to this contest, with many of these lacking the scope to progress. Trinity Girl is interesting, having scored here the last twice, but this is deeper than the Class 5 and 4 contest that she won.

Tregony can land us back to back wins

Tregony 5.59/2 was a good win for us at Lingfield 14 days ago, but she had no right to win from her racing position. She turns out in this 18:15 R2 and returns to the scene of her win in week six of this competition last term. She was drawn in stall 12 at Lingfield last week (not usually a big negative) and was forced six and then seven wide around the first bend and the conceded ground by dropping to the rear of the field.

Saffie Osbourne made a daring move by pushing up five wide around the home bend and then finished strongly. She was the best horse in the race, with the second, fourth, fifth and sixth all saving ground racing off the rail but prominently.

Her penultimate start at Sandown saw the winner go close to back-to-back wins at the same venue on Saturday, so a three-pounds rise should not be enough to stop her going in again.

Patience can pay off with Double Dealing

Last year I was extremely confident that Double Dealing 10.09/1 would get the job done in week three of this contest despite being drawn in stall ten at Lingfield at a massive 17/2 SP. I was wrong, and he was touched off by 3/4 of a length in second despite finishing like a Japanese Bullet Train.

Redemption is on the cards tonight at Newcastle in the 18:45 R3 as he makes his second start of the season after catching the eye over course and distance on the back of a 338-day break and a gelding operation.

Rewind to Lingfield last year, and the winner is now rated 99, some 16 pounds higher in the handicap, the third is yet to be seen, the fourth is nine pounds higher, while Double Dealing sits on the same handicap rating of 82.

The reason for advising him last year came from an excellent four-length defeat at Leicester over seven furlongs to The Attorney when held up off a slow pace. The Attorney is now rated 16 pounds higher, and the runner-up from that contest is now rated ten pounds higher.

He didn't put in the same performance at Windsor when racing too close to the pace only to be picked up in the closing stages when hampered by two ridden more conservatively (Air To Air now six pounds higher and Dark Lion now four pounds higher).

His return effort here at Newcastle was not coincidental - this race has undoubtedly been the target.

He bumped into a well-handicapped debutant who was given a 16 pounds rise in the handicap and subsequently touched off two lengths in France by Oscula in a Group 3 next time. She did remarkably well in the circumstances there and was an unlucky loser. The runner-up Empirestateofmind was better positioned than the selection and was a subsequent winner before being narrowly touched off by a handicap good thing at Hamilton.

Double Dealing had to switch around the front of the pack and ended up on the far rail to make his challenge when all too late.

He is entitled to improve a good chunk for that first run after nearly a year off the track and the gelding operation, and I genuinely expected him to be towards the top of this market.

He is favourably drawn in a high stall which can hopefully see him challenge next to the rail, and his strong finishing effort should be seen to best effect over this stiff mile, while the return to a straight track is also a positive.

Keep the faith with Honky Tonk Man

You can probably tell I am excited to see the above Double Dealing, but another I am looking forward to and who was far better than the bare result was Honky Tonk Man5.04/1 in week two at Lingfield. Harry And Roger Charlton's runner has turned out again for this contest, the 19:15 R4, and the return to Newcastle, where he was a ready course and distance winner at two years, is a big positive.

There was a huge kick-back at Lingfield in the scorching hot weather in week two, and watching the race closely would show that Honky Tonk Man turned his head away from the blast of Polytrack hitting him in the face from his mid-pack position on multiple occasions.

Prominent runners had an advantage at Lingfield - Cry Havoc (1st) and Street Kid (2nd) in the opener both raced in the first two positions. Buckshaw Village [1st) and Ideal Guest (2nd) both raced in the first two positions ( Honky Tonk Man finished third). Sunningdale (2nd) and Zephina (3rd) both raced in first or second. Postmark (1st) and Zenga (2nd) both raced in the first two positions.

Honky Tonk Man also was denied a clear run and finished like one that is well ahead of the handicapper. He is worth keeping on side in this contest and should take a world of beating under the excellent Saffie Osbourne, who takes the ride again.