Trainer travels 600-mile round trip with one runner to Newcastle on Thursday

It’s a long trip up to Newcastle for Andrew Balding but he has made it a worthwhile one in the last thirteen months. Since the start of 2020, Balding has sent just fourteen runners on the 600-mile round trip north, returning with seven winners for a 50% strike rate and a level stakes profit of £8.84.

There are also cards at Kempton and Thurles on Thursday afternoon before the baton gets handed over to Newcastle for the evening. We’ll have free horse racing tips for all those cards as well as all the necessary free bets to get set for the upcoming Cheltenham Festival.

5.00 Newcastle – Ladbrokes Home of the Odds Boost Fillies’ Novice Stakes

Just a single runner on Thursday’s card for Andrew Balding in the shape of Asamova. She has only a single run to her credit when eighth at Kempton at the start of November. She was beaten more than twelve lengths on that occasion in a seven furlong contest.

Runners for her yard are well known to come on plenty for their initial outing so that is not such a concern. Her dam was a Grade 2 winner over six and a half furlongs but wasn’t beaten far over a mile. American Pharoah stayed ten furlongs strongly so she should appreciate the step up to a mile.

Ben Curtis is the man in the plate, a rare booking for Balding. He has ridden just five for the stable in the last five years, winning on two. That adds an extra level of intrigue to this runner who would need to step up on her debut run but all the signs point to her doing exactly that.

In a modest enough race where the short priced favourite only sets an RPR standard of 67, she has to be strongly considered from at least an each way perspective..

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