5:30 Newcastle Tips

On form and figures, I think this selection takes all the beating. A previous course-and-distance winner and close to its last winning mark, in a field of overly exposed contenders, Callianassa should put in a good display here.

Lightly raced 4yo, 3 career wins from 11. He won a stronger handicap at Lingfield four runs back in September and is only slightly higher in the weights now. He was a good third of 15 in Meydan during January and seems in good shape. Strong jockey booking. I like the fact that his only previous run on a Tapeta surface resulted in a win.

FRANCESI has been good to us in the past and is bang in form this winter. This looks a big price for one that is in such good shape, and he's worthy of a look.

As an each-way play, I wouldn't rule out Tribal Wisdom either. He has put in some decent efforts of late. A different take on the race should a hold-up horse come into play. I just feel like he has something in hand over a few of the others to still run to his mark and recent performances.

Night Breeze is down in trip, which is not expected. He is a long way down in class after racing in some decent Class 2 races over 10??'12 furlongs. Ryan Kavanagh takes 5 lbs off.

If you watch a replay of this horse's debut run under Mulrennan on stable debut last time out, it's clear that the run there was purely a fitness exercise after four months off. The trainer has now won with three of his last six and has a terrific record at this course. Hopefully we can expect a more positive ride from the jockey this time around. The horse has won off 77 and been runner-up off 80 as recently as last summer, so this mark of 80 should be a competitive one.