Palmer Hoping Hamish Macbeth Can Deliver

Season seven of the All-Weather Championships begins at Newcastle next week, Tuesday, October 22, and culminates with the hugely popular £1-million All-Weather Championships Finals Day at Lingfield Park on Good Friday, April 10, 2020. 

Newcastle's opening fixture is headlined by the £22,500 Ladbrokes Home Of The Odds Boost Conditions Stakes (3.45pm), the first of 24 Fast-Track Qualifiers during championships which grant the respective winners a free and guaranteed start in the corresponding final at Lingfield Park on Good Friday.

The Ladbrokes Home Of The Odds Boost Conditions Stakes is a Fast-Track Qualifier for the £150,000 Ladbrokes Three-Year-Old All-Weather Championship, also over six furlongs.

Saeed Manana's Dream Shot (James Tate) is one of the most experienced names among the 16 entries and sets the standard with an official rating of 105. Successful on Polytrack at Chelmsford City in August, Dream Shot was last seen out when second in the G2 Wainwright Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster on September 13.

Four other entries have also scored on the All-Weather in 2019. Desert Safari (Mark Johnston) captured minor contests at Wolverhampton and Kempton Park before finishing third on turf in the Listed Redcar Two-Year-Old Trophy earlier this month, while Premier Power (Roger Varian) was deeply impressive in landing a Kempton Park novice event by five lengths on October 10. Dance Fever (Clive Cox) and Smokey Bear (Roger Charlton), both winners at Kempton Park last time out, are also engaged.

Newmarket trainer Hugo Palmer is set to be represented by Hamish Macbeth. Following decisive victories at Newmarket and Salisbury, the son of Due Diligence caught the eye the last time out when finishing strongly to grab third in a valuable sales race at the Curragh, Ireland, on September 15. 

On Finals Day this year, Palmer and Hamish Macbeth's part-owner Hunscote Stud Ltd combined to win the £150,000 Betway Fillies & Mares' All-Weather Championship with Heavenly Holly.

The trainer said today: "I think Hamish Macbeth should be very well suited to the All-Weather Championships, as he likes top of the ground.

"We have had a very good year with him so far and I hope he can continue that on the All-Weather. There is no reason why he can't as he goes very well on the All-Weather at home.

"The rain on the morning of the race in Ireland did not help him a great deal, but he still ran very well and took another step forward."

Richard Hannon was also on the scoresheet on Finals Day, courtesy of Oh This Is Us, and the former champion trainer has two contenders in Temple Of Heaven and Kuwait Direction. Both colts have not raced since Royal Ascot.

Other names to note are Godolphin colt Raaeb (Saeed bin Suroor), a debut winner at Doncaster who could drop back in trip following two starts over seven furlongs, and dual scorer Macho Time, whose trainer Karl Burke landed this race in 2017 with Beatbox Rhythm.

The feature handicap on the card is the £30,000 Betway Optional Claiming Handicap (3.10pm) over six furlongs. Among the 22 entries is Harry's Bar (James Fanshawe), who reeled off a hat-trick on the All-Weather during the summer with victories at Lingfield Park, Wolverhampton and Chelmsford City.

Newcastle's seven-race card starts at 2.00pm and ends at 5.20pm.

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About the All-Weather Championships

Season seven of the All-Weather Championships runs from Tuesday, October 22, 2019 and culminates with All-Weather Championships Finals Day on Good Friday, April 10, 2020 at Lingfield Park. The seven races on All-Weather Championships Finals Day are worth a total of £1 million.

There are two ways for horses to qualify for one of the finals on All-Weather Championships Finals Day at Lingfield Park:

* A horse can win a 'Fast Track Qualifier' race which will ensure a FREE and GUARANTEED place in the corresponding final on Good Friday. There are four Fast Track Qualifiers in each of the six Championship Categories hosted at racecourses in Great Britain, Ireland and France. If a filly wins any of the Fast-Track Qualifier races for either the Sprint or the Mile categories, the filly will be qualified for the final of that specific category, or for the Fillies and Mares Final.

or

* A horse must run a minimum of three times on the All-Weather surfaces in Great Britain, Ireland and France; or twice on the All-Weather surfaces in Great Britain, Ireland, France and once on dirt in Dubai during the qualifying period between October 22, 2019 and the six-day entry stage for the finals (Saturday, April 4, 2020) and then be rated high enough to 'make the cut' in a final by order of its BHA Rating.

The 24 Fast-Track Qualifiers are scheduled as follows:

In addition to the fantastic prize money on offer, up to £10,000 will go to each of the All-Weather Champions - the 'All Stars' - based on the number of winners at the end of the All-Weather Championships season:

Champion All-Weather Jockey (£8,000 to the winner /£2,000 to the runner-up)

Champion All-Weather Apprentice Jockey (£4,000 to the winner/£1,000 to the runner-up)

Champion All-Weather Trainer (£10,000)

Champion All-Weather Owner (£10,000)

Winning Most All-Weather Horse (£10,000)

All-Weather Horse Of The Year (based on prize money won during the Championships) (£10,000)