Albasheer locks in his final qualifying run for Finals Day in the Boost Your Acca With BetUK Handicap (6.10pm), the class two highlight over five furlongs at Newcastle on Friday, March 15. The 105-rated sprinter has made two six-furlong appearances at the course during this season’s All-Weather Championships, starting with a good third in the rearranged Listed Wentworth Stakes in November. Archie Watson’s runner followed up with a decisive handicap victory on AWC Trials Day on January 1, form that has been well-advertised since by placed horses Fivethousandtoone and Batal Dubai. Hiya Maite also makes his third appearance of the campaign after being withdrawn from last month’s Listed BetUK Hever Sprint with a minor setback. The six-year-old posted one of the standout sprint performances of the season in late December, when he set the second fastest five-furlong time ever recorded over Southwell’s Tapeta track. His five-and-a-half-length victory resulted in a 10lb rise from the handicapper to his current mark of 97. Trainer Roy Bowring said: “Hiya Maite had to miss the Hever Sprint because he had a bit of heat in his nearside joint. It was nothing really – I pulled him out the day before and, come the Saturday morning, he was almost right again and probably could have run. “I think the handicapper has put him up too much for his latest win. They whopped him up 10lb and, although I would love for them to be right, I think they have overloaded him. “In my view, it could have been a one-off type of performance and now the question is whether he can back that up. Admittedly, the time was very good but you can’t always rely on times. “We were not expecting a performance of that manner, although the one thing I would say is that progeny of Heeraat do seem to really improve with age. The sire never gets a three-year-old but, if you look at his offspring, they seem to peak as five and six-year-olds.” In a strong lineup, Mick Appleby saddles the hat-trick chasing Billyjoh and Bedford Flyer, who was fourth behind Diligent Harry in the Listed BetUK Hever Sprint. Brazen Bolt returns to these shores for John & Sean Quinn following a successful winter campaign in Bahrain, while Julie Camacho’s Badri looks to recapture the form of his Ascot win in October. At the foot of the weights, Harry Brown is an intriguing contender for David Simcock after a promising comeback second at Wolverhampton in February. Burning Cash heads two runners for Paul Midgley after taking second over the course and distance last month, on what was his first outing since August. Stable-mate Lethal Nymph makes his second appearance for the yard, having started his career with Clive Cox. Fine Wine (Scott Dixon), a previous record holder over five furlongs at Newcastle, Bergerac (Kevin Ryan) and Mondammej (Antony Brittain) complete the field.
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