Newcastle preview: Golden chance for Sovereign to follow-up

Sovereign Bounty scored in good style last time out, and can make light of a 4lb rise in the weights to follow-up in the 7f handicap on today’s competitive eight-race card at Newcastle (18.15).

The Jedd O’Keeffe trained gelding had just three runs as a juevnile and progressed with each.

Sovereign Bounty was allotted an opening handicap mark of 70 on the back of those efforts, and shaped as if ahead of it when a 2 3/4 length third to Go Dan Go over 7f at Beverley.

This three-year-old raced keenly at the head of affairs on his first start for 267 days, but stuck to the task well and was not unduly knocked.

The winner, to whom he was conceding 2lb, has come out and won twice since and is now rated 85 and the runner-up Mustaqbal also tasted success next time up.

That gave the form an extremely solid look, and Sovereign Bounty duly took advantage of his lenient mark of 70 to open his account in good style at Beverley last time out.

After tracking the leaders, Sovereign Bounty only had to be driven out to beat Mrs Biggs by a neck and was well on top at the line.

The son of Bahamian Bounty scored with far more in hand than the winning margin suggests and a 4lb rise in the weights looks very lenient indeed – especially judged on his run behind Go Dan Go.

In the 1m 2f handicap (16.30), dual course winner Outlaw Torn has been found a great opening to get back on the winning trail.

The Richard Guest trained gelding took advantage of a drop in the weights to come from off the pace and beat Red Paladin by 3/4 of a length in a class 5 contest over a mile at Redcar last month.