All-Weather Championships Finals Day 2023

Friday afternoon sees the culmination of the All-Weather racing season with a seven-race card at Newcastle, featuring the six All-Weather Championship Finals, all being shown on ITV4. As a bit of a bonus the ITV team are also showing three from Lingfield where they host the All-Weather Vase Raceday. I had a fair day last year finding three winners, one second and two thirds so nearly had the lot, and all being well I will have another Good Friday!

Best bets for the All-Weather Championships Finals Day Newcastle 7th April 2023

1.50 6f talkSPORT All-Weather 3 Year Old Championships Conditions Stakes

The card actually gets underway with a Listed heat at 1.15 over a mile but the first of the All-Weather Championships races is the 6f talkSPORT All-Weather 3 Year Old Championships Conditions Stakes at 1.50. There are two or three in here that will want to lead so this should be run at a fair old clip. Perdika has been busy at the Dubai Carnival, running in some fair races, and returned to Europe winning a Listed 5½f heat at Chantilly last month on the soft. All those races were on Turf and her run behind subsequent G.3 scorer Al Dasim in Meydan looks perhaps the best form on show. Prior to her recent exploits on Turf she won four races on the bounce in late 2022 on the All-weather to qualify for this, three of them over 7f, so if they do go off like scalded cats she could well be the one picking them all off late. Getting the 5lb fillies allowance off the main dangers of Shouldvebeenaring and New Definition she is the pick for me at 11-2 BPG early.

2.25 2m BetUK All-Weather Marathon Championships Conditions Stakes

The stayers are out at 2.25 for the 2m BetUK All-Weather Marathon Championships Conditions Stakes with a couple of familiar faces in the line-up. Berkshire Rocco and last year's winner Earlofthecotswolds (tipped on here) are joint top-rated with my preference on Friday for the Andrew Balding trained six-year-old. Earl Of Tyrone got the better of him last time, but that one isn’t here having been shipped to Australia, and in finishing second in that race he had four of his rivals today behind that afternoon; I know as I tipped him. I would suggest Berkshire Rocco did well to get within a couple of lengths of the winner on that tighter track having been held up off a slow pace running on late and will surely love the wide open spaces and long straight here at Newcastle. This appears to have been the aim since he returned from injury in October last year and I noted his trainer saying in the Kingsclere Spring Magazine “He is qualified for the Marathon at the All Weather Championships and should have an excellent chance there, having shown his aptitude for the distance and for artificial surfaces.” I am on at 13-8 BPG this morning. Rainbow Dreamer knows his way round here and could pick up some decent prize-money again.

3.00 we have the 1m2f BetUK All-Weather Easter Classic Middle Distance Championships Conditions Stakes

At 3.00 we have the 1m2f BetUK All-Weather Easter Classic Middle Distance Championships Conditions Stakes. Forest Of Dean is a solid yardstick for this type of race, and has a chance, but doesn’t win as often as perhaps he should. Freescape won over the trip at Dundalk in December shouldering a massive 10-4, and also went close in a Listed race over there on the 1m2½f track previously, before being sent out to Dubai and the Carnival where he has been competing in Group races on Turf. This is certainly more his level and David Marnane won’t be sending him over just for a day out. I am on at the 6-1 Power were going Friday afternoon.

3.35 The Spreadex All-Weather Mile Championships Conditions Stakes

The Spreadex All-Weather Mile Championships Conditions Stakes is due off at 3.35 and it should be a double on the day for Andrew Balding, Oisin Murphy and owners Berkshire Parts and Panels Ltd as Berkshire Shadow is the one to be in here. He won the 7f Listed Lady Wulfruna Stakes as he liked to qualify at Wolverhampton last month and this Group performer will surely have too much for this field. I took 6-5 with Power on Wednesday as I thought he’d be odds-on.

4.10  7f Talksport All-weather Fillies' And Mares' Championships Conditions Stakes


The 7f Talksport All-weather Fillies' And Mares' Championships Conditions Stakes at 4.10 has Manaafith and Queen Aminatu heading the market at short odds. Manaafith is unbeaten on the All-Weather and was pretty impressive taking the Listed Tandridge Stakes at Lingfield in February. Queen Aminatu was also impressive taking the 7½f Listed Miss Satamixa Stakes at Deauville when last seen in November and won the Listed Mile Fleur De Lys Fillies' Stakes at Lingfield before that also in eye-catching style. They are likely to both be coming late and fast and this could be the best finish of the day. My preference is for Queen Aminatu at 6-4 that I took on Friday as I think she will see out the quite testing seven here better, but the preference is only just and in the market this morning she is drifting slightly. 

4.45 6f BetUK All-Weather Sprint Championships Conditions Stakes

The lucky last at 4.45 is the 6f BetUK All-Weather Sprint Championships Conditions Stakes. Mick Appleby reportedly feels Annaf provides him with his best chance yet of gaining a first winner on All-Weather Finals Day; it’s amazing to think the now seven-time All-Weather Champion trainer is yet to have a winner on Finals day! The four-year-old has been in great form this year, winning the Listed Kachy Stakes at Lingfield as his prep, and with James Doyle booked to ride, usual pilot Rossa Ryan has been claimed to ride for Ralph Beckett at Lingfield, the four-year-old looks to have a great chance. I am on BPG early at 9-4. There are plenty of dangers such as Summerghand, who I have tipped more than once in the past, and Mum’s Tipple to name just two.

Bet for the All-Weather Vase Raceday at Lingfield

One that caught the eye at Lingfield in the entries earlier this week and does run is Spring Promise going for Charlie Appleby in the 7f Talksport All-weather Vase Fillies' Handicap at 4.25. She got off the mark last time over track and trip having finished second on her first two starts, I backed her for her first two runs, she was unbackable at odds-on when winning here in February. The form of that win looks fair and an opening mark of 78 for her handicap debut looks workable as they say. I am on the chestnut filly at 11-8 BPG.