Our horse racing tipster Paul O’Brien gives his selections and best bets for All-Weather Championships Finals Day at Newcastle on Good Friday.
Burrandon Stakes (1:18pm, Room Service)
Three-year-old colt Room Service won last time out at Doncaster on September 14. That race was a very valuable two-year-old stakes race and he beat very good opposition incredibly comfortably.
That performance over six-and-a-half furlongs was his longest race to date. However, the fact he stayed on well that day and his sire, Kodi Bear, was a class 2-winning miler would suggest that he should be just as good racing over this extra distance, if not even better.
Marathon Handicap (1:53pm, Palace Boy)
Spartan Army opened the betting as the clear favourite for this very hotly contested race. That is because of how impressive he’s been recently, winning three in a row.
However, repeat opponent Palace Boy, who he beat in his penultimate start at Southwell on February 24, can reverse that form.
Palace Boy was ridden much more prominently in a slowly run race, where previously he had always been held up and delivered late.
If the race shapes more in his favour this time and he can be held up, the 7lb pull he has against Spartan Army compared to last time can see him surge to the front late and win again.
All-Weather Championships Mile Handicap (4:40pm, Dear My Friend)
Winner of the Burrandon Stakes at this meeting last year, Dear My Friend targets the slightly more valuable mile handicap this time around. Disappointing over turf last year with his only win coming at this meeting.
He has thrived since being switched seemingly permanently to all-weather. He has won on all of his last three handicap starts since being returned to the surface. That comes with its own worries, given the fact he is now 16lbs higher in the handicap than that first win.
However, in each of his victories he has always found more, winning in uncontested fashion. He continues to train really well and the yard are confident he can bring home the prize money despite the further weight increase.