4:20 – Newcastle – F1 SIGNS & DIGITAL E B F FILLIES´ HANDICAP (DIV II) (CLASS 5) (3yo+ 0-70) Soft, Heavy in places 7f
The soft ground at Newcastle today will suit Viking Rose very well as she won over 7 furlongs at Yarmouth in Heavy ground earlier in the season, with the added bonus that she is 2lbs lower in the handicap today. The 4 year old chestnut filly has to come back from three disappointing performances but excuses can be made for all three runs and her profile and form over this trip are much stronger than her recent efforts.
Viking Rose has run 18 times on the turf flat in her career to date but only six of her runs have been over distances of around 7 furlongs. Of her last three disappointing runs she did run over 7 furlongs at Brighton three starts back, but her saddle slipped and as a consequence she was eased down towards the finish. She ran over 1 mile and ½ a furlong at Windsor two starts back and her latest run at Yarmouth 13 days ago was over 1 mile 3 ½ furlongs. As the longest trip she has won over is only 1 mile it is perhaps not surprising that she has not lasted home over longer trips recently.
However, her record over trips around 7 furlongs is much better as she has won twice and been placed once from six starts, including a win over course and distance at the end of September last year. She should also go well in today’s going which is currently Soft, Heavy in places, but with more heavy rain forecast during the morning and early afternoon could well be heavy by the time the race goes off. Viking Rose has won in Heavy ground on the one occasion she has run in it and appeared to relish the going. She has also been placed twice from three runs on Soft ground.
Adam Beschizza rides Viking Rose for the second time today and he has ridden for her trainer James Eustace seven times this year, winning twice.
At current odds of 7/2 Viking Rose is no good thing in today’s race. Her yard have been struggling for winners all season with just 4 winners from 67 runners on the flat and did not have a single winner in September. However, Viking Rose is 2lbs lower in the handicap than her last mark and as she has won at Newcastle over today’s trip on her only previous visit to the course and relishes the Heavy ground she could be worth following today.
