8.05 Newcastle: Class 5 Handicap, 6f

Pockley has dropped nine pounds in his official mark since he went into my notebook, back in July in an Ayr Gold Cup Trail Handicap. That day he was badly squeezed when coming with a potentially big run.

He ran well on a number of occasions in the meantime, without ever really threatening; although, all his subsequent performances, bare the most recent one, were better than the bare form may suggest.

A concern is how tamely Pockley finished the last two times, even though there were mitigating factors at Pontefract, after a slow start.

He didn’t have a lightning fast start when last seen at Ayr either, when he also bumped into a rival. This could point to the fact that Pockley has some underlying issues or isn’t as happy to be a race horse as he used to be.

At the same time, he has dropped to a seriously dangerous mark, the majority of recent runs were solid at the very least, all the while sliding down the ratings, and he clearly acts on the All-Weather, too.

The 5lb claim of apprentice Mark Winn looks excellent value. It keeps the weight down and provides Pockley an excellent opportunity to score in this easier grade.

10pts win – Pockley @ 9/1