14:25 Southwell

Zarzyni is likely to be popular here given the form he arrives in but he is back up in trip and I think TOMMY DE VITO (best price 3/1) looks the better bet. He clearly hasn’t been the easiest to train but I liked what I saw when he managed to win by a short head at Kempton last year and given we know he is proven fresh he could be a fair bit better than an 87-rated animal. He is open to improvement after just the 5 runs and should run a big race under Rossa Ryan. Of the rest Mohareb ran well in defeat when third here last time and while a repeat of that wouldn’t see him far away but it surely leaves him vulnerable if the selection is as good as I hope? Nigel Nott was back in the winners enclosure at Newcastle but failed to back that up at Kempton and needs more to shake a few of these up.

17:00 Newcastle

This looks competitive but I’m going to give a chance to DUBAI LADY (best price 9/4) improving again. This Invincible Spirit filly showed a liking for this track and trip when winning on debut last month and I thought she acquitted herself well in defeat under a penalty at Kempton last time. The bare form is nothing to write home about last time so she will need to progress but after just 2 runs you’d be surprised if she didn’t. She goes handicapping off an opening mark of 75 and if she can get away on terms I think she’ll be bang there under Danny Muscutt. Grangeclare View remains in good form and like the selection is still unexposed so could be the danger but Plastic Paddy also has to be respected. He has won over C&D and the cheekpieces going back on should help him.