The groundstaff at the five all-weather racecourses in Britain have been working overtime to cope with the extra demand of racing in the past week as icy weather led to an entire week of jumps racing being abandoned. To compensate for the lack of racing, additional meetings were organised at all-weather venues to keep the sport rolling and this Monday evening meeting would be the fifth in the space of seven days. It would be an ordinary seven race card which saw the feature handicap run at the end of the night. There would also be an interesting novice race with plenty to take note of for the future. The arctic blast may have cleared, but it cleared the way for Storm Iesha to follow with gale force winds which battered the racecourse. It would make unpleasant conditions for everyone but thankfully there were no incidents. 

Race One: The BetUK, Home Of The Acca-Fenwa Handicap - Class Six - 2 Miles - Runners: 9

As the days begin to grow longer, the start time of the first race would creep closer to 4pm with each day. It would be a low grade staying handicap over a circuit of the Gosforth Park venue with some in form runners taking part.

A similar event at the start of the month was set for a repeat as wide margin winner of that race Show No Fear returned to Newcastle once again to face the runner up and third placed Crystal Guard and Zephlyn. The trio would line up against the in form Eagle's Realm, who arrived at the top of his game after winning his previous three starts. The mare Can Can Girl is a former Newcastle winner and made her debut for the Craig Lidster yard and first start since October. Bobby Shaftoe is another previous winner here for the Jim Goldie yard and always posed a danger to bounce back at any time. Mass Consumption has shown glimpses of form but had to yet to prove himself over this trip. Ney was strongly backed on stable debut last time out but could only manage third. The winning hurdler lurked on a winnable rating. Sugarpiehoneybunch landed her only two wins at the start of last year but has raced over a variety of distances. 

Winner: ZEPHLYN (Iffraaj x Taqdees) (#9) - J. Hart - E. Whillans

From the outset, the light blue silks of Zephlyn quickly gained the lead as her old adversary Show No Fear raced in an early second with Eagle's Realm amongst a tightly packed chasing group. The pace would only be modest as Jason Hart dictated the sectionals around the course. The well fancied Eagle's Realm was noted to be over racing and halfway down the back straight, the gelding was allowed to move forward and join the leader. Turning for home, it appeared to be a two horse race with Zephlyn and Eagle's Realm creating a big gap to the field. Warning signs began to show for Eagle's Realm as his early excursions proved costly and the fuel gauge ran low. That would leave Zephlyn to gallop on resolutely with ears pricked to cross the line and win in clearcut fashion. Eagle's Realm settled for second while Ney made up most ground from the rear to take third with Bobby Shaftoe in fourth. It would be a first career win for the five year old and a well judged ride by Jason Hart. Connections had clearly done their research as it was a carbon copy of the race she was third in at the start of the month, only this time Zephlyn was the one making all the running.

Race Two: The Bet £10 Get £40 At BetMGM Handicap - Class Six - 7 Furlongs - Runners: 9

There would be another class six event on display, but this time over the much shorter seven furlongs as the floodlights began to pierce the darkening sky.
A ten-strong field went to post and it featured some last time out winners to boost the interest in the race. Royal Prospect defied his age to win once again at the start of the month and he faced Bonito Cavallo who won for the first time on his latest start. The joint top weight Atlantic Heart had shown ability but lack of consistency recently and he shared his spot at the head of the card with Sparkling Spirit, who had finished third in her last four starts. Desert Boots was bred by Godolphin and despite winning twice in his career, found himself at this level with the shrewd John Butler yard. Kananga posted his best effort to date on his last start when third over a slightly longer trip. Little Red Dancer has found some good form over the winter and ran well in defeat on all four recent starts. Established rider Jason Hart took over the reins on the out of form Fighting Chance while veteran Mr Coco Bean would be making his seventy-third race start. The field was completed by Lisa Williamson's mare Independent Beauty who was reunited with Jo Mason and the pair had gone well together before.
Winner: BONITA CAVALLO (Orientor x Eternal Instinct) (#5) - P. Mulrennan - J. Goldie
The extreme winds meant it would be hard to make all the running as the leader would bear the brunt of a strong headwind and it would be Kananga who took the field down the straight mile course. He was joined by Little Red Dancer and the slow starting Fighting Chance, but rival jockeys were keen to find a windbreaker for their horse. Entering the final stages, the complexion of the race changed. Last time out winners Royal Prospect and Bonita Cavallo swept through the pack and settled down to fight between themselves. It would be Paul Mulrennan and Bonita Cavallo who were strongest and the chestnut would come out on top by a length over Royal Prospect. The veteran Mr Coco Bean ran a solid race to take third while Sparkling Spirit finished on the premises once again in fourth. Bonita Cavallo's last start would be his first win in twenty-two attempts, but now the five year old has two victories on his CV. He has become another winner from the Eternal Instinct lineage which was bred by trainer Jim Goldie himself.

Race Three: The Boost Your Acca at BetMGM Novice Stakes - Class Five - 7 Furlongs - Runners: 9
A novice on the all-weather in late January may only very rarely throw up a star name, but as recent weeks have shown, it can produce an above average sort.
This class five event for three year olds and older looked to be no different as nine runners went to post. The race originally contained Waleefy, a colt from the regal family of champions Baaeed and Hukum, but he would be withdrawn on the morning of the race. He would be a disappointing non-runner for those in attendance, but there are many other days for him. In his absence, the race had a more open look to it. Richard Fahey's Parthenopaeus made a belated racecourse debut at the age of five but had some high class relatives in his pedigree. Sycamore Gap made his flat racing debut for Rebecca Menzies but caught the eye in a National Hunt Flat Race here recently. The Jessica Macey-trained Dark Side Premier continues the family tree for her breeder/owner and is related to plenty of winners.  Newcomer Ideal Dragon is a son of lesser known sire Dragon Dancer, but was partnered by Sean Kirrane on his return to Britain. Fellow newcomer Nothing In Mind represented the Roger Fell stable and was already gelded. Kevin Ryan's Only In Jakarta made his all-weather debut but went close twice on the turf last year, showing talent in the process. Reveal was another well bred sort in the field and made his debut for the in form Linda Perratt stable who do well with cast offs. Richard Fahey's second string Rob's Umbrella showed greenness on debut but will have learned plenty. The field was rounded out by Tourist for the Jack Jones stable. He remained a maiden after six starts but had some impressive formlines. 
Winner: ONLY IN JAKARTA (No Nay Never x Aurora Spring) (#6) - T. Eaves - K. Ryan
The wind began to unsettle a few of the newcomers in the parade with Dark Dragon in particular rearing and running keenly to post. The remainder behaved well in the conditions however and it would provide an exciting finish. The favourite Only In Jakarta took up the running early on and led narrowly under Tom Eaves. The keen going Dark Side Premier and Rob's Umbrella made life different by pestering the leader and the likes of Sycamore Gap, Parthenopaeus and Nothing In Mind were held up but not far away. Entering the final stages, Eaves asked for more from Only In Jakarta and the colt continued to grind it out. He wouldn't pull away but kept finding for pressure to keep his nose in front. From the rear, Parthenopaeus finished strongly to push Only In Jakarta but the line came just in time for the Kevin Ryan-trained Only In Jakarta as he broke his maiden tag. Tourist would finish placed once again while Rob's Umbrella matched his debut fourth place. To the naked eye, Only In Jakarta's win wouldn't be as impressive as a short priced favourite should be. However, plenty of variables can mark the run higher. Running into a strong headwind was bound to be unpleasant and at the finish, he showed a tough attitude to score. It would also be his first start on the all-weather and first start since last August. Only In Jakarta is a distant relative to some high class sprinters including Swiss Diva, Swiss Lake and Swiss Spirit, all of whom achieved plenty on the track. It was a good effort in the circumstances for the three year old and there should be more to come. 

Race Four: The Best Racing Odds Guaranteed At BetMGM Handicap - Class Six - 6 Furlongs - Runners: 6

Somewhat surprising for a sprint handicap at this level, there would be a small lineup to go to post but the sextet had little between them on ability. 
The top weight Glory Fighter has plenty of experience and the one time useful type dropped into class six level for the first time. Ramon Di Loria made a quick reappearance after a below par run at the start of the weekend but is a former Newcastle winner. Wee Fat Mac rattled in a quickfire double of wins last month for Iain Jardine and was back in action following a few week's rest. Browlee is a very lightly raced compared to his rivals but struggled recently. Rory made another Newcastle visit and won back in December, but he was outpaced last time over this trip. Linda Perratt's Henery Hawk was sat on a low rating but his trainer has shown great skill in revitalising her horses in recent months.

Winner: HENERY HAWK (Heeraat x Rosecomb) (#6) - T. Jakes - L. Perratt
The small field meant tactics would be interesting, but it still led to a clearcut winner. In the early stages, top weight Glory Fighter and the hooded Brownlee had their own battle at the front of the pack as their rivals sheltered from the headwind. Henery Hawk and Ramon di Loria would get off to slightly slower starts than ideal and found themselves at the rear while Rory and Wee Fat Mac were happy to race in the middle of the bunch. The group began to drift across to the near side rail, but when the pace increased, Henery Hawk showed a good turn of pace and bagged the running rail. The five year old finished with plenty of speed under Tommie Jakes and pulled clear of Rory and Wee Fat Mac to provide the in form Linda Perratt stable with yet another winner at Newcastle this winter. The son of Heeraat joined the stable early in 2023 and won twice in October in successive starts, once at Newcastle and once at Wolverhampton. He landed win number three in emphatic style and it would be another impressive ride by young Tommie Jakes, who continues to improve and impress in recent months. 

Race Five: The BetMGM: It's Showtime Handicap - Class Four - 1 Mile - Runners: 5

Another small field was on display, but this time it would be a three-year-old's only race over the straight mile.

Dire Wolf held strong claims on the back of his recent win and it would see the Nunthorpe-winning partnership of Sean Kirrane and Adam West reunited. Likleman had looked very limited last year and made his first start since leaving Charlie Johnston's yard, this time representing Simon West. Supreme Tenacity showed a liking to the all-weather surfaces and ran his best race when a narrow second here over slightly shorter back in December. Good Morning Alex caused a surprise last time out at Southwell where he also won for the first time, showing a liking for the longer distance. The sextet was completed by Subaltern who finally showed a bit of ability last time when fitted with blinkers. 

Winner: GOOD MORNING ALEX (Land Force x Secret Change) (#5) - A. Farragher - D & N Barron
The field would be reduced to five following the morning withdrawal of Hyrcanian, which made the race even more trappier. Each of the quintet of horse and rider would be reluctant to lead and eventually, Subaltern drew the short straw and led in the early stages. The pace was steady which meant the likes of Supreme Tenacity and Good Morning Alex pulled the arms off their jockeys. There would be little change in the order until the final stages where Subaltern was swamped by Good Morning Alex and Dire Wolf. The recent winners went eye to eye but Good Morning Alex proved to be the best as Likleman made up most ground from the rear to take home second. Dire Wolf settled for third with top weight while Subaltern weakened into fourth. It would be a second successive win for Good Morning Alex who had previously been a maiden from four starts. The well named gelding is owned by two Alex's and has improved since switching to low grade handicaps. The form of his nursery handicap win at Southwell in November had worked out very nicely with plenty of subsequent winners in behind and a follow up was expected by punters. 

Race Six: The BetUK, It's Where The UK Bets Handicap - Class Six - 7 Furlongs - Runners: 11

The biggest field of the evening saw eleven regular faces go to post over the flying five furlongs. There would be an impressive seven former course and distance winners in the lineup and the most recent of those would be Eleven Eleven, who scored nicely in a similar race at the beginning of the month. His trainer Jessica Macey would saddle another former Newcastle winner, Mercurius Power who was running well at the end of last year before struggling in better company on New Year's Day. The four year old Vampire Slayer went close here at the start of 2023, but made his return to racing for the first time since May last year. The once smart handicapper Danielsflyer retains his ability at the age of ten and was well into his veteran status. Not many Newcastle meetings go without a Michael Dods winner and the Darlington stable was represented by Masterpainter. One of the in form contenders would be Panama City who has improve greatly since joining the Ian McInnes stable. Winning two of his last three starts, he is becoming an all-weather specialist. Whatwouldyouknow was in action at the start of the weekend and posted one of his lesser efforts but won here back in November. The mare Ring Fenced has slowly crept back into form and had the potential to win sooner rather than later for Micky Hammond. The Roger Fell-trained Armoured failed to go on from his debut third last year but would begin his first full season here. Stable favourite Absolute Dream has plenty of racing miles under his belt and is still capable when in the mood. 

Winner: ARMOURED (Lope de Vega x Rayisa) (#9) - J. Peate - R. Fell & S. Murray
With a good amount of front runners in the field, the pace was decent for the level and Absolute Dream would be the early leader with the likes of Mercurius Power, Panama City and Masterpainter all on his heels. The field remained tightly packed and as Absolute Dream weakened quickly, the order changed dramatically. In contrasting fortunes, Jess Macey's Mercurius Power took over in front while stablemate Eleven Eleven quickly went backwards. Masterpainter kept on at the same pace, but the bright red colours of Armoured were spotted slicing through the pack under Jonny Peate. The five year old was last to challenge Mercurius Power and the pair pulled a long way clear of the pack. Mercurius Power wouldn't back down however, but Armoured's run was well timed and he stretched his neck out and just got up to win for the first time. Mercurius Power did everything right but lost out in the shadows of the post and Masterpainter finished best of the rest ahead of Panama City. It would be an exciting finish, but another display of Jonny Peate's riding skill. Gaining plenty of winners of the winter, he has shown why he won Champion Apprentice in 2022. It would be a totally different showing from Armoured who was lightly raced for his age. Having his first start since October, he showed the benefit of a wind operation and finished much better here. 

Race Seven: The Win £2,000,000 With BetMGM'S Golden Goals Handicap - Class Four - 1 Mile - Runners: 9

Racegoers were made to wait for the highest quality action, but the class four handicap would be worth waiting for as a competitive lineup went to post.

Top weight would be carried by Swiss Ace, ridden by Jo Mason and trained by Ruth Carr; a duo who have been in flying form in recent weeks. Dornoch Castle would make his all-weather debut for Charlie Johnston and was once highly touted after winning his first two starts as a two-year-old. Iain Jardine's Bashful has run over all kinds of distances but settled on a mile for this contest. The well travelled Hortzadar has enjoyed a mini revival in recent weeks and remained on a winnable rating. Jahidin won twice at Newcastle last year and has run well on other occasions to solidify his liking for the track. Star Zinc won here at the start of last November and confirmed his wellness with a close second at Southwell last time out. The veteran Trais Fluors has enjoyed life at Linda Perratt's stable and won in December. Irish Flame won his maiden in wide margin fashion back in November 2022 and has since run well in handicaps. The field would be completed by Showmedemoney, who often needs things to go his way. 

Winner: TRAIS FLUORS (Dansili x Trois Lunes) (#7) - J. Peate - L. Perratt
The wind continued to howl across Gosforth Park and everyone at the racecourse were glad to see the final race. The feature race would deliver for those patient few however with an exciting finish. Star Zinc and Bashful were the two to get a slow start, but the lack of strong pace meant they could easily catch up. The majority of the nine runners all raced keenly behind early leader Jahidin and the race soon turned into a sprint. The leader was soon swallowed up by Swiss Ace and Hortzadar who both swept through to take up the running along with Irish Flame. Bashful found plenty of traffic when making his challenge but the old boy Trais Fluors finished strongest of all and came through rivals to get up close home and make it a double for jockey Jonny Peate and trainer Linda Perratt. Bashful would be a very unlucky second with Irish Flame putting in a better run in third. Hortzadar would take fourth, but was beaten just a length and a half in total. It would be a pleasing way to end proceedings with the ten year old veteran Trais Fluors landing yet another win. He has been reenergised since moving to Scotland with Linda Perratt and this would be his second win for the yard this winter. Once a top class horse in France, he was placed in the Group One Prix Jean Prat back in 2017 and 2019's Prix d'Ispahan. Moving to Britain with Mick Channon, he was a regular in high class handicaps. Rated as high as 106 on his British debut, he won from a rating of 72 and showed there's plenty of fire left in the popular veteran.