Early leaders Elzaal and Safeeq are at the forefront of bets for a reason, but their support increases the potential value of Gorgeous Riocoming here in fine form after a very solid fourth of 16 in this class on last month’s longer six-furlong trip at Haydock.

That should set him up perfectly for a return to that minimal uphill journey where he has had five of his seven career wins, including three on this course.

The last time he ran this course and distance was last November when he finished second of 11 behind Pockley, who is a real course specialist, and Glorious Rio was clearly very unlucky to have such a progressive and well handicapped push winner.

However, he beat the other ten 0-75 rivals in that event so a repeat of that feat would make it hard to beat him three pounds less in this smaller event. Recommended bet: Glorious Rio wins the 19:45 in Newcastle

Even before his last Haydock run, Glorious Rio had announced his turn again when he surpassed market expectations on his first run back after a 100-day hiatus, handicaping an unprecedented third of nine in a stronger Class 4 in Southwell. Now that he’s found pounds less on his first five furlong run since, he’s looking good from his convenient 7-berth bed now that he’s returning to his favorite uphill Tapeta course in what appears to be an easier race.

Next best bet: Princess Karen

Of the others, easily ridden four-year-old filly Princess Karine has plenty of scope for further progress in this area and she’s coming on the back of some decent third-placed efforts, first here at Newcastle and then at Beverley late last month when she was in the higher-ranked class 4 Company finished third out of eight despite racing very eagerly. Just a pound up in this lower handicap, she looks certain to return here well, especially if she settles in better than she did in the first two games of the season.

The article Newcastle Top Racing Tip: Glorious Rio happy to face uphill fight appeared first on Planetsport.com.