A first trip this year to the North East was in store as the all-weather season began to start in earnest. A nine race card was the order of the day for a twilight meeting on a Friday night with a wide range of action on the track. There are exciting times in the air at Newcastle racecourse as they prepare to host the valuable November Handicap meeting just twelve hours after this meeting. The traditional flat turf season closer was switched from a waterlogged Doncaster earlier in the week and it included the historic November Handicap. A few weeks later, the National Hunt scene will descend on Gosforth Park for the Grade One Fighting Fifth Hurdle meeting which sees the return of the generational talent Constitution Hill. 
For now though, the action here would nothing of that calibre, but posed some interesting conundrums. A staying handicap would be held in daylight hours followed by a competitive sprint under the lights. Two potentially informative novice races would also take place for two-year-olds. 

Race One: The Find More Big Deals At BetUK Handicap - Class Five - 1 mile, 4 furlongs - Runners: 11
Winner: EVENING STORY (#6) (New Bay x Penny Rose) - O. Stammers - G. Tuer
A useful looking handicap over the longest distance of the meeting would see a field of just eleven, but there would be a mix of experience and youthfulness in this class five handicap. The race has been won by King Of The South for the previous two seasons but the William Knight-trained gelding was absent from the lineup this year so a new name could be added to the winners' list.
Most of the intrigue in the race would be directed at the three-year-olds in the field as they had the potential to rise further up the ladder. The filly Evening Story made her debut for the Nick Bradley Racing and Grant Tuer partnership following a purchase at the October Horses In Training Sales at Newmarket, racing's equivalent of football's transfer window. Elsewhere, the lightly raced Luna Power represented powerful connections of Roger Varian and King Power Racing while David Loughnane's Dance Time won for the first time on her latest start. Of the older generation, Pub Crawl has some strong pieces of form in the book but had yet to win a race in his career to date. Graces Quest would run for the ever-present Jim Goldie stable and had finished second twice recently. Glasses Up has been an admirable servant for his connections while the field would be completed by the consistent Mrs Meader and the in-and-out profiles of Bustaam, Down To The Kid, Franco Grasso and Ring Fenced.
As the field made their way along the back straight under a golden sun drenched sky, the early pace was very pedestrian. No one seemed keen to go forward and Ring Fenced would hack around with the field in pursuit behind him. The likes of Graces Quest, Mrs Meader and Glasses Up would over race with the lack of pace. Once the group entered the home straight, the pace began to rise. The three year old Dance Time moved up to take over in front and attempted to catch her rivals on the back foot. Evening Story had gradually picked her way through the field from the rear and arrived on scene travelling well. The two fillies moved past their elder Graces Quest before battling it out in the final stages. It would be Evening Story who finished the strongest and returned to the winners' enclosure.

It would be a perfect start to life with her new owners and trainer having moved north recently from the Jamie Osborne stable. The daughter of New Bay had a nice progressive look to her record and won at Kempton on her previous start. Held in high regard already, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Evening Story another brilliant piece of business by the Nick Bradley operation this winter.  

Race Two: The Boost Your Acca At BetMGM EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes - Class Four - 2-Y-O only - 6 furlongs - Runners: 10

Winner: FILLY ONE (#4) (Calyx x Forever's Girl) - H. Russell - G. Oldroyd

The sun would begin to set on the racecourse and it would be the turn of the juveniles for the first two novice events. This race would be restricted to those who have no more than two runs under their belts as well as being limited to fillies. The six furlong event was won last year by the smart Nine Tenths for trainer William Haggas. In earlier editions, this race has also seen the high class pair Vadream and Azure Blue break their maidens in 2020 and 2021 before ending up as Group One performers this year. 

With such a chequered history, notebooks will be at the ready to follow this year's winner which would come from an interesting field of eleven. The most likely winner on paper would be Richard Fahey's Leveret, who finished a fast closing second in a similar race a few months earlier. She was the closest to winning in this bunch, but there would be ten other rivals to stop her. George Boughey would send up the well bred newcomer Disclosure up from Newmarket while fellow HQ trainer William Haggas looked to defend his crown with the once-raced Shy Hi Bye. With little worthwhile form in the race, plenty of guesswork would be needed by Groove Inn, Polyphena and On The Sherbet had all raced once before. Kevin Ryan unveiled the smartly bred Passamezzo for her debut while there would debuts for Ed Bethell's Forty Pockets, Craig Lidster's Alfa l'Angel, Julie Camacho's Mariners Way and Geoff Oldroyd's Filly One. 

There would be a small delay before the start as Alfa l'Angel displayed signs of greenness on her debut. Already edgy in the parade ring, the Craig Lidster-trained newcomer would then become unsettled in the stalls and ended up withdrawn. There was a wave of support in the market for Shy Hi Bye who was backed into favouritism but punters will have been nervous to see her break slowly from the stalls. Going nothing more than an average pace, the keen going Groove Inn cut out the early running as the likes of Filly One, Leveret and Disclosure were all up close. Leveret would move up to contest the lead but at the furlong pole, Filly One took advantange of her good position and burst into an overall lead. Shy Hi Bye had caught the eye with the way she moved through the race and carved through the field to challenge Filly One. After nosing in front briefly, Shy Hi Bye showed signs of inexperience and backed out slightly. It would leave Filly One to battle back and take the win on the line.
It would be an exciting finish between two promising fillies with a surprise winner. The black and yellow silks of Reg Bond have been seen to big success in the North and his breeding operation has continued since his death. Filly One is a well bred daughter by first season sire Calyx and her pedigree stretches back to Group Three winner Ladies Are Forever, also owned by Reg Bond, and Hoof It, the prolific winner who won the Stewards Cup for the Easterbys. The form of the race will need proving, but given the calibre of previous winners in this race, it could be worth making a note of the name Filly One. 

Race Three: The Best Racing Odds At BetMGM EBF Novice Stakes - Class Five - 2-Y-O Only - 5 furlongs - Runners: 9
Winner: MONKS DREAM (#1) (Unfortunately x Celestial Dream) - A. Fielding - T. Easterby

The second novice event of the evening would be held under floodlights as the clock ticked past sunset. The five furlong contest was won last year by the debutant Silent Words for the Kevin Ryan stable. That particular colt would go on to place in listed company this year. 

In contrast to the preceding fillies' novice race, there was more substantial form on paper for this juvenile sprint. The Tim Easterby-trained Monks Dream would make a quick return to action but was the sole winner in the field after breaking his duck on this course last week. He would be shouldered with a penalty, but the promising apprentice Alex Fielding would held balance the extra weight. The Bryan Smart-trained Circus Lion filled the frame in two starts on turf and made his all-weather debut under Paul Mulrennan while Silky Robin made a promising debut when third here recently. Cast No Shadow, Moral Standards and Our Melody would rely on experience as well as Persian Blue, a well bred type who went close on her latest start. There would also be a handful of debutants in the field with Gemma Tutty's Body Parts, Ainm Cara from the Barron stable, Sports Coach from the Karl Burke yard alongside the already gelded Locomotive and Front Gunner from the stables of Mark Walford and Ann Duffield respectively.

There would be more drama at the stalls for these juveniles as the original favourite Persian Blue ducked under her stall and enjoyed the freedom of Newcastle's home straight as she galloped loose to the paddock. The long wait was far from ideal and Moral Standards would also refuse to enter the gates before getting withdrawn. That reduced the field to nine and the group would be led by Our Melody in the early stages. The newcomer Sports Coach was well positioned with the more experienced pair of Monks Dream and Cast No Shadow. Entering the final stages, Monks Dream took over in front and made his bid for glory. Cast No Shadow was caught briefly off guard and lost ground, but he rallied bravely to challenge Monks Dream in another thrilling finish. After getting first run, Monks Dream held on bravely from the chargin Cast No Shadow to score his second win in November. 
It is often hard for previous winners in novice races as they are burdened with a weight penalty. However, the services of young Alex Fielding were employed to claim seven pounds back from the saddle. The Tim Easterby-trained gelding only made his debut a month earlier and has a very smart pedigree. A half brother to plenty of winners, he is also a distant relative to the outstanding mare Lochsong, a star of the 1990's.

Race Four: The Always Gamble Responsibly With BetUK Handicap - Class Three - 5 furlongs - Runners: 9

Winner: SPANGLED MAC (#4) (Starspangledbanner x Intermittent) - B. Loughnane - G. Boughey

The feature race of the evening would come in the form of a competitive five furlong sprint with plenty of well known faces who have crossed paths on countless occasions in the past. Last year's renewal would be run as a class four event which was won by the prolific Newcastle winner Pockley and the race was given a boost in grade and prize money. 

The top weight Spangled Mac enjoyed a highly successful first season last year with five wins in 2022 between five and seven furlongs and continued his good form with a fourth and eighth placings within two days of each other at this year's Royal Ascot followed by a valuable Newbury handicap win. He would return to the minimum trip for the first time since his debut. Elsewhere, there would two former Royal Ascot winners finding themselves running at Newcastle on a Friday night. Last year's Norfolk Stakes winner The Ridler has struggled this year with an inflated rating and he was joined by this year's Holyroodhouse Handicap winner Rhythm N' Hooves for the Archie Watson stable who had enjoyed a small break and was still relatively lightly raced. Bedford Flyer represented connections who were still on cloud nine following a Breeders Cup success last weekend and was also a last time out winner at the sharp Lingfield track. The veteran Lord Riddiford has plenty of fans and still retains ability while the eccentric Mondammej posted a better effort here when second last time out. The disappointing Bergerac and smart Exalted Angel completed the field along with Racing League winner Alligator Alley in what was a hotly contested race. 

With plenty of speedy front runners in the lineup, there would be no hiding place early on. The rapid Bedford Flyer held a narrow lead over Rhythm N' Hooves, Bergerac and Exalted Angel. The main group would be tightly packed as The Ridler aimed for a solo bid on the stands side rail. At the back, Spangled Mac was badly outpaced and ridden by Billy Loughnane after a furlong. It would appear his chance was already over at an early stage. The nine runners blazed a trail along the straight and were putting in sectional times of eleven seconds a furlong. Entering the closing stages, the pack were on top of each other with Exalted Angel and more noticeably Mondammej both suffering interference. On the near side, the green silks of Spangled Mac began to rattle home under Billy Lougnane and appeared from nowhere to nail Bergerac in the final strides and snatch victory from a near impossible position. It would be a seventh career win for the four year old who picked up the pieces from a red hot early gallop. It would also pay testiment to the skill of racing's wonderkid jockey Billy Loughnane. The seventeen year old champion apprentice of this year has gained a large following by displaying judgement beyond his tender years and this would be another brilliant piece of timing in the saddle. 

Race Five: The BetUK Home Of The Acca-Fenwa Handicap - Class Five - 5 furlongs - Runners: 11
Winner: ZUFFOLO (#3) (Bungle Inthejungle x Red Red Rose) - C. Lee - M. Dods

The action remained at the minimum distance for this low grade handicap in which many of the runners had slipped down to a winnable rating having been out of form in recent times or were consistent in this grade.

The Ontoawinner syndicate provided a strong hand in this race with the two highest rated on the racecard. Paddy's Day had clearly benefitted from his mid-season switch to the Nigel Tinkler stable and returned to the winners' enclosure for the first time since his March last time out. Also sporting the yellow and white silks would be the experienced Show Me Show Me for the Richard Fahey outfit. The six year old had raced at a higher level recently and ran a mighty race just three days earlier, a quick winning return would be hoped for. The three-year-old Zuffolo had struggled for form this year and joined the likes of useful Hardy Angel, consistent Foreseeable Future and Leodis Dream. Former course and distance winners Sugar Baby, Herakles, Ramon di Loria and Ben Macdui also joined in on the action as Modular Magic made her debut for the Jim Goldie stable. 

In this low level affair, the place to be would once again be front and centre as the well positioned Zuffolo gained his third career win. From the outset, Leodis Dream took the field along at a steady pace with Foreseeable Future, Zuffolo and Paddy's Day with more horses behind than in front of them. In a race where not many were able to land a blow, Zuffolo and Leodis Dream pulled clear together in the final stages and produced a good finish. The pair fought bravely in the final strides but it would be the three year old Zuffolo who gained the narrow verdict under Clifford Lee. A promising sort at the start of the season, his form plateaued in recent times until an eyecatching fifth in a similar race last time. Cashing in on a winnable rating, he would return to the winners' enclosure for the first time since May.

In contrast back at the start, Ben Macdui reared as the gates and unseated Graham Lee. In a worrying period of time, Lee would be attended by medics and evacuated to the local hospital. At the time of writing, he remains in intensive care for a neck injury and everything is crossed for the former Grand National, Cheltenham Festival, Ascot Gold Cup and Nunthorpe Stakes winning jockey makes a quick and full recovery. 

Race Six: The Bet £10 Get £40 At BetMGM Handicap - Class Six - 1 mile - Runners: 11
Winner: MY ROXANNE (#7) (James Garfield x Magic Motif) - B. Robinson - B. Ellison

The modest quality would continue with this class six handicap, but the beauty of all weather racing is to keep lesser rated horses fit and happy with plenty of racing opportunities. Twelve months ago, the Nigel Tinkler-trained Whatwouldyouknow was delivered late and fast to win under Faye McManoman who in the process rode out her apprentice claim. Now a fully fledged rider, McManoman would have fond memories of this meeting as the partnership would be reunited to defend their crown.

The Stella Barclay-trained Spirit of Bowland rattled in a hat trick of wins at the start of the year and following a summer break, returned recently still in good form. The top weight Little Ted can claim plenty of experience and has run well on all his starts at Newcastle, including a win back in July. Former course winner Possible Ambition had been lightly raced this year and returned to action under Jason Hart here. Another former Gosforth Park winner, Mr Heinz, was back on site along with My Roxanne and the regularly raced Ebury. At the other end of the scale, the lightly raced Mayjority for the local yard Rebecca Menzies and Big Hamish for Jim Goldie were totally unexposed in handicap company. The once useful Rains Of Castamere has disappointed recently and would join The White Elephant and Alibaba to complete the lineup. 

As fireworks lit up the sky on the horizon, there wouldn't be as much on the track with another routine winning display by the three year old My Roxanne. Following a trend of the evening, the early pace would suit those ridden handily. The keen going Rains Of Castamere raced keenly but was held under tight restrain by Archie Young. Alibaba and Dylan Hogan would be next to take over in front as the lead change hands a few times in the early stages. Possible Ambition and My Roxanne were two more to race close to the head of the field and as the race reached the business end, Ben Robinson set sail for home on My Roxanne. The filly quickly put daylight between herself and her rivals and wasn't for catching. Last year's winner Whatwouldyouknow gave chase in vain but had to settle for second this year. The remainder finished close together with Possible Ambition, Mr Heinz and Little Ted filling out the minor placings. 
The daughter of James Garfield has seen plenty of racing this year but has developed into a useful type at this level. Winning for the first time at Chelmsford back in April, she would win again at Newcastle in June. The three year old showed her liking for the artificial surfaces with a third career win here. 

Race Seven: The Stay Golden With BetMGM Safer Gambling Handicap - Class Six - 7 furlongs - Runners:

Winner: BELLA KOPELLA (#8) (Awtaad x Ajla) - F. McManoman - N. Tinkler

Despite racing in the same grade as the previous race, this seven furlong handicap looked stronger with plenty of in form and talented names lining up. 

Ruth Carr's seven year old Bobby Joe Leg scored three times at this time last year but had gone winless this year despite his best efforts. Swinging Eddie won at Beverley on the turf back in May and returned from a break which could benefit him considering his ability to run well when fresh. Top weight, the Newmarket raider Capuchinero, won for the first time since joining his current trainer Alice Haynes last time out while Gay Kelleway's former course winner Comedian Leader was last seen in the Leger Legends race at Doncaster. Three year olds Haworth Star and Bella Kopella ran well at this course recently and were hoping to press forward while Plink made her debut for the Katie Scott yard following her move from the William Haggas stable. The once smart Russco now resides at the Ann Duffield stable while Pink Parfait, Broomy Law and Turbo Command all took their chances in this competitive race. 

The five year old Russco led the field early in nothing more than an average pace. The returning Swinging Eddie raced in second with the grey Turbo Command and Broomy Law. With little change in the order, positions remained largely the same. Entering the final stages, Bella Kopella burst into the lead after showing a smart change of gear. Fellow three year old Haworth Star gave chase and was briefly hampered at a critical moment but it would be the filly Bella Kopella who gamely held on for a narrow win. Top weight Capuchinero ran a bold race to take third at the end with early leader Russco settling for fourth.
At the same meeting where she rode the magic ninety-fifth winner last year to eradicate her apprentice claim, it was another display of why jockey Faye McManoman gains the plaudits of many. There was plenty of happy connections in the winners enclosure thanks to this popular horse. 

Race Eight: The Build Your Acca With BetUK Amateur Jockeys' Handicap (Div I) - Class Four - 6 furlongs - Runners: 10

Winner: DICKIEBURD (#3) (Cracksman x Lydia's Place) - P. Brown - C. Lidster

The closing handicap race was limited to amateur riders as they continue their education in the saddle whilst making good impressions on the watching eyes of trainers. With a safety limit on the race and plenty of interest, this class four race was split into two divisions. The first division would appear stronger and last year saw Athollblair Boy record another win at Newcastle. The Nigel Tinkler-trained veteran is a part of the furniture at Newcastle and gave Emma Dwan a first career winner last year, the ten year old returned once again in the hope of providing Alice Cooke with a similar milestone.
Bellagio Man finished a very close third in last year's renewal and has since developed into a smart handicapper on all surfaces. Fortamour represented the connections of last year's second, the stable of Ben Haslam. Glendown arrived in top form for trainer Tim Easterby having won three times this year and Dickieburd had plenty of good form this season. Sacred Falls has been a credit to her trainer Katie Scott with five seconds and a win from eight starts. The highly experienced Serena Brotherton is always a rider to follow in these races and she was booked on the Mick and David Easterby-trained Beauty Choice. The three-year-old pair of Trillby and Sibyl Charm were joined by Dylan Cunha's Gold Medal in the lineup. 

From an early stage in the race, the runners and riders were spread out across the track and some trailed behind. Up front, Dickieburd got off to a flyer under Pippa Brown and bagged the nearside rail to guide him along. Glendown, Trilby and Beauty Choice would be the only ones to keep tabs on the early leader as the slow starting Gold Medal and Bellagio Man played catch up. Entering the final stages, Dickieburd kept on well and found himself in a clear lead at a key moment. Gold Medal kept on well under Fletcher Yarnham and finished best of all but had to settle for a close second, a good run in the circumstances, while Trilby took home third.

The enterprising ride by Pippa Brown paid off as she landed another win in her burgeoning career. Holding a license on the flat and for national hunt races, Brown has been busy recently with the Craig Lidster stable, she even rode over hurdles at Musselburgh two days earlier. This would be a third win in the saddle. As for the horse, Dickieburd has enjoyed a fun season. Starting off back in February, the son of Cracksman finished third on Epsom Derby day in a handicap before winning at Catterick. This race would be his first over six furlongs since his debut, but his early speed and ability to gain a handy position proved to be a race winning tactic.