Best bets for the horseracing Saturday 11th November 2023

Following a great weekend of action at the Breeders Cup last weekend over in Santa Anita the horse racing this weekend was never going to supply quite the same razzmatazz but there are bets to be had and some fair horseracing to be enjoyed. Sadly no bets for me over the obstacles this weekend as the ones I fancied are either too short or not running. I do fancy a few at Newcastle on the Tapeta.

Best bets for the horseracing at Newcastle

This is of course the November Handicap meeting that was supposed to take place at Doncaster last weekend as the Flat finale but due to waterlogging was moved to Geordieland and this weekend. The fact they race on Tapeta has to be taken into account.

The first race of interest to me is the 1.30 Listed 1m2f Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Irish EBF Gillies Fillies' Stakes. I have talked of the the Charlie Appleby trained Veil Of Shadows before, and in truth she perhaps hasn’t progressed as hoped for since winning on debut but has put in some fine efforts on defeat. She gets a slight ease in grade here, last two runs in Group Three company, and she does have form on the All-Weather; winning debut at Kempton on Polytrack and second at Wolverhampton on the Tapeta there. At 11-4 I have taken a chance she can get back in the winners enclosure here. Charlie Appleby said this week “Veil Of Shadows came out of her Newmarket race in good spirits and we feel that she will appreciate being back on a sounder surface. She has strong form on the all-weather and looks the one to beat based on what she has achieved of late.”

At 2.05 we have the Listed 6f Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Wentworth Stakes. Track and trip winner Sense Of Duty jumped off the page at me earlier this week as one with track experience and though this isn’t where connections thought she’d be running naturally it may have played to her favour. Back in June 22 the four-year-old filly won the G.3 Pertemps Network Chipchase Stakes here to complete a quick-fire hat-trick at the time. Not seen again until September of this year she was third in a G.3 at Newbury before finishing tenth in the G.1 Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot last month. I think connections could have a lot of fun with her over the Winter if they want to have a go at the All-Weather sprints over the coming weeks and it will be fascinating to see what they do if she goes well here. I have 11-8 early this morning.

The lucky last at 3.45 is the 1m4½f Virgin Bet November Handicap. Local Dynasty was towards the top of my shortlist for this but with no All-Weather experience at all there is a slight question mark next to his name now. Gelded after his last run the step-up in trip should suit, staying on over 1m2f at HQ on his last run, and if he goes on the surface the 3-1 might look big later this afternoon. I think it's a big advantage to be drawn low on the fence in races on the round course at Newcastle as they are long sweeping turns so I expect to see William Buick ping him out of stall one and get a decent spot early. Course winner Teumessias Fox is feared. 

Be lucky