Newcastle, Thursday 25 June 2026: Tips and Analysis

Newcastle, Thursday 25 June 2026: Tips and Analysis

Newcastle’s Tapeta surface rides Standard To Slow today under sunny skies, which typically rewards horses who travel well through their races rather than those who need genuine cut underfoot. William Haggas is hitting his usual high strike rate at this track, and L Wadham’s two-from-four fortnight is worth keeping front of mind. Three races featured below, including a maiden that has a very clear market leader but a couple of dangers worth knowing about.

3:12 — JenningsBet In Scarborough Handicap (1m2f, 12 runners)

Selection: Eternal Force (Tom Marquand, W J Haggas) — 11/8 Boyle Sports / Betfred, 5/4 LiveScore Bet

Haggas is operating at a 30% course strike rate at Newcastle from nearly 300 runners, and Marquand knows the track. More importantly, the race shape suits Eternal Force well. He went down by a nose at Hamilton three weeks ago off a 2lb lower mark, so he arrives here in the form of his life, just slightly wrong-sided by a narrow photo. The step up to ten furlongs on the all-weather is uncharted territory for him, but he handles both good to firm and good to soft on turf, and the Tapeta tends to be forgiving for horses with that profile.

Top of the weights, yes, but he’s being asked to beat a field that includes a horse (Jolly Jack Tar) returning from 331 days off, a trainer (Crisford, Will Scarlet) who has managed just one winner from 20 runners in the last fortnight, and Haku who was beaten eight lengths at Kempton on his comeback. Rogue Millions at 13/2 is the one you respect most, a dual winner who handles the surface, but his last three outings have been flat. Eternal Force is already proven at the business end of a race and has a specific recent angle to point to. He wins at anything around the 11/8 mark.

3:47 — JenningsBet In Kippax Seaton Delaval Handicap (1m, 11 runners)

Selection: Back In Black (Daniel Muscutt, J R Fanshawe) — 15/8 Boyle Sports, 2/1 Betfred / LiveScore Bet

Back In Black is the most reliable horse in this field by some margin. He ran to his mark at Lingfield last time on the same rating, has placed in three of his last five starts, and now gets a first-time tongue-tie which connections clearly hope will sharpen him. Fanshawe’s yard has sent out six winners from 25 runners in the past fortnight, so the string is in good nick.

The main market rival is Treble Tee (4/1), but Crisford’s one-from-twenty fortnight is a significant red flag. At a mile on this surface, Back In Black has the profile to deliver and the 2/1 available at Betfred and LiveScore Bet looks fair rather than generous, though the 15/8 at Boyle is a shade shorter than ideal. Dosman at 5/1 ran a solid race at Ascot and is not without claims, but his stamina at a mile is still a question. Back In Black is the play.

4:22 — True Colours Charity Restricted Maiden Stakes Div 1 (7f, 10 runners)

Selection: Aphra Behn (Edward Greatrex, R M Beckett) — 4/5 Boyle Sports / Betfred, 4/5 LiveScore Bet

Beckett has sent out seven winners from 48 runners over the past fortnight, a healthy clip for a yard that tends to have horses spot-on when they travel north. Aphra Behn shaped with promise on debut at Salisbury, finishing third in a race that is likely to produce a few winners once those runners get eligible for handicaps. The step up to seven furlongs was always the plan, and on this surface she looks the clear class act in the field.

Lord Ragnar at 5/1 is the chief threat: a runner-up last time at Leicester who has been progressive across two starts. He deserves respect and is each-way solid at that price in a ten-runner field. Aura Of Melania improved between runs at Wetherby and will stay seven furlongs comfortably. But Aphra Behn is the one with the right profile, the right trainer form, and a race that looks set up for her to confirm debut promise. At 4/5 the price is short, but in a maiden of this quality, the market is correct.

Each-way note: Lord Ragnar Each-Way at 5/1 is worth a small saver. Three places at 1/5 odds means you collect at 1/1 for a place, and his upward trajectory makes the frame highly likely.

Today’s NAP

Eternal Force — JenningsBet In Scarborough Handicap (3:12, Newcastle)
Odds: 11/8 — Boyle Sports (others: 11/8 Betfred, 5/4 LiveScore Bet)

The nose defeat at Hamilton three weeks ago off a 2lb lower mark tells you everything: this horse is in career-best form and was simply outgunned by the smallest possible margin. Haggas firing at 30% at Newcastle, Marquand in the saddle, and a field full of horses with serious question marks against them. The step to ten furlongs on Tapeta looks the final piece of the jigsaw for a horse that handles cut and good ground alike. He’s the banker of the card.