Five of the hottest trainers in the country head to Newcastle this evening - can their flying form continue?

Five trainers with some of the best strike-rates in the past fortnight have runners on the all-weather at Newcastle this evening. Here we assess their chances of enhancing their good form . . .

Geelong

Boutique Event Hire Handicap (5.30 Newcastle)

Operating at a 33 per cent strike-rate (2-6) thanks to Group 2 success with Sumo Sam and today's runner bolting up at Kempton, Paul and Oliver Cole find themselves in the top four hottest trainers in the country.

They make the 568-mile round trip from their Whatcombe base to Newcastle with Geelong, who scored by six and a half lengths at Kempton eight days ago when the blinkers returned after a poor effort at Chelmsford.

This will be his first start at Newcastle, but he's won at Wolverhampton, so the surface won't be an issue. The blinkers are sported again for this 1m4½f handicap and he will be very hard to beat if in the same form as last time.

Spotlight comment

Reliable sort who had his usual blinkers back on when ending a losing run in fine style at Kempton (1m3f) eight days ago, drawing clear last 1f; big shout turned out under a 5lb penalty with headgear again sported.

African Spirit

QuinnBet Best Odds Guaranteed EBF Restricted Maiden Stakes (7.00 Newcastle)

Ben Brookhouse is currently operating at a 40 per cent strike-rate (4-10) in the past two weeks, including winning with his last two runners, and he is solely represented by African Spirit in division one of the 7f maiden.

Brookhouse is 0-11 with two-year-olds this year, but a few have made pleasing debuts in the past month, including Global Skies who wasn't beaten far behind Ghostwriter (entered in the Group 2 Royal Lodge on Saturday) at Newmarket.

Bought for 33,000gns as a yearling, African Spirit is a half-brother to the useful Calypso Beat, who won twice as a juvenile, including in Listed company, and placed twice at Group 3 level.

Those with experience don't set too high of a bar to aim at and it would be no surprise to see him go well under Dougie Costello.

Spotlight comment

33,000gns yearling; ninth foal; gelded half-brother to winners Calypso Beat (6f 2yo including Listed; RPR 103), Rockley (UAE 1m; 74) and Seal Team Six (US 6f); dam 6f 2yo Group 3 winner (100); trainer not yet had a 2yo winner nor one on the AW but in fine form at present.

Sweet Talkin Sue

QuinnBet Best Odds Guaranteed EBF Restricted Maiden Stakes (7.30 Newcastle)

Hugo Palmer has a 26 per cent strike-rate (7-27) in the past two weeks and sends newcomer Sweet Talkin Sue to Newcastle for division two of the 7f maiden.

Palmer has sent out ten two-year-old winners this year and has a strike-rate of 16 per cent with juveniles on the all-weather in the last five seasons, so there's optimism that Sweet Talkin Sue will be fully primed for her debut.

A half-sister to May Night, who won on the all-weather as a two-year-old, Sweet Talkin Sue gets 7lb from her main market rival Mickley and probably wouldn't have to be anything special to be involved.

Spotlight comment

28,000gns foal, 18,000euros yearling; third foal; half-sister to 7f-9.5f AW winner May Night (including 2yo; RPR 92); dam Swedish 8.6f winner; trainer has 16% strike-rate with 2yos on AW in last five seasons; no surprise if she acquits herself well on debut.

Revolucion

QuinnBet Daily Free Bet Handicap (8.00 Newcastle)

Joseph Parr was thwarted in his attempt to improve his already great form when Global Tycoon was beaten less than two lengths at Wolverhampton last night, but he is still in the top four hottest trainers around with a 33 per cent strike-rate (3-9) and his Revolucion looks to have solid credentials.

Despite being a 12-race maiden, Revolucion has performed with credit on each of his seven all-weather handicaps, recording form figures of 5224233, and his latest effort at Wolverhampton, when doing best of those not on the pace, suggested his turn could be near.

The return to the stiffer Newcastle, where he went close to success last year, looks a positive and a 1lb drop can only help matters.

Spotlight comment

12-race maiden but he's often threatened and it was another good run when third of 12 at Lingfield four weeks ago (6f, AW), doing best of those coming from off the pace; dropped 1lb and likely to be in the mix.

Eleven Eleven

QuinnBet Quarterback Handicap (8.30 Newcastle)

Jessica Macey tops the list of the hottest trainers in the past fortnight with a 50 per cent strike-rate (2-4), and she has just one runner on the card in the closing mile handicap.

Eleven Eleven is tasked with keeping her good form going and will have to bounce back from a couple of poor runs, but those came on turf and his record at Newcastle provides hope.

His form figures at the course read 124127 and he has dropped to 1lb lower than the latest of those victories, so with the stable in such fine form there's every chance of him improving on his recent runs.

Spotlight comment

Dual C&D winner who is now 1lb lower than the more recent of those in February; held his form into the spring but has been well below his best on his last five starts (including back over C&D).

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