Free racing tips: Simon Holt previews Newcastle's 10 race meeting on Monday

Recommended bets

2pts win Tathmeen in 3.20 Newcastle at 4/1

1pt win December Second in 5.05 Newcastle at 10/1

1pt win Wise Glory in 6.15 Newcastle at 7/2

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Racing returns with a ten-race card at Newcastle on Monday when the progressive TATHMEEN is fancied to take some beating in the Heed Your Hunch At Betway Handicap.

Anthony Brittain's strapping five-year-old looks like he may have needed time to find the strength to compliment his physique, and won three times over five furlongs at Gosforth Park in February/March.

Tathmeen was particularly impressive when slamming the consistent Young Tiger on his penultimate start, powering clear in the closing stages under Cam Hardie and then went close to defying a 7lb higher mark when raised to six furlongs at Wolverhampton.

On the latter occasion, he travelled really strongly throughout - again looking an improved performer - but couldn't quite reel in the in-form Fizzy Feet, who was ridden prominently to gain a fourth success from her previous six starts.

To these eyes, Tathmeen saw the trip out well and, back at a course where he has performed so well in the past, he can pounce late in the sixth furlong and continue his fine form.

In the Betway Handicap at 5.05, the Sir Michael Stoute-trained long-distance traveller Alignak looks sure to head the market after securing his first win in a novice event at Kempton in September, and connections could well have their eye on Royal Ascot. That victory was franked subsequently by third-placed Omnivega but not by the runner-up Noble Music.

Lightly raced, Oisin Murphy's mount could be open to much progress, but it might be worth taking a chance with the Godolphin cast-off DECEMBER SECOND who really impressed when powering to victory at Haydock in August over this trip and in a manner which suggested that this stiff test will suit him well.

Phil Kirby's gelding has an interesting background as he won a couple of bumpers earlier in his career, and was also far from disgraced when finishing sixth behind Colreevy and Abacadabras in the champion bumper at Punchestown.

Switched to the Flat, December Second was conceding plenty of weight-for-age when second to the John Gosden-trained Make My Day at Goodwood last June and then faced a similarly tough task when no match for Gosden's useful filly Promissory (subsequently placed at Group Three level) at Doncaster after which he would have found a mile at Hamilton too sharp.

The handicapper has raised the six-year-old 10lb for his Haydock win, but this could be a decent stayer in the making.

Kirby also runs another ex-Godolphin recruit in Ice Pyramid who has won two of his last three starts over this course and distance. Given that December Second boasts no course experience and is a longer price, it may seem counter-intuitive to give him preference, but Ice Pyramid's easy victories came against quite ordinary opposition, with an odds-on defeat at Lingfield in-between, and he too has gone up steeply in the weights.

Finally, WISE GLORY could provide a first-day-back victory for the new father and son training combination of Simon and Ed Crisford in the concluding second division of the Betway Maiden Stakes.

A 13/8 favourite to win first time out over seven furlongs at Beverley last August, everything went wrong for the son of Muhaarar who was slowly away, ran green and met with all sorts of interference before staying on well up the hill to take third behind the enterprisingly-ridden Flylikeaneagle and the now 85-rated Yoshimi who won next time.

A half brother to the 86-rated Wise Ruler, a winner over this course and distance, the now-gelded Wise Glory sets a decent enough standard even on that troubled first run, and looks sure to improve for the extra ground here.

Hopefully, the Gosden-trained Byzantine Empire will keep the price sensible despite disappointing at Sandown last September after a promising debut at Kempton.

Posted at 1330 BST on 31/05/20

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