FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

18:45 Newcastle Our first selection of the evening comes from the North East as a sprint handicap awaits. Owners Hambleton Racing look to have a great chance of greeting a horse into the winners enclosure as they send both Sir Domino and the current race favourite Rural Celebration. The market principle looks to add to his impressive course and distance success here last time but a nine pound hike in the weights could be a tricky task to overcome. Dark Side Dream comes in to the race on the back of two solid placed efforts on the all-weather. An ultra consistent runner who tends to put his best foot forward and is likely to be up there come the finish line. Despite David O’Meara saddling the favourite he could surprise a few with the other horse he sends in to the race Innocently. The five year old is yet to win on an artificial surface but a third placed finish at Chelmsford shows it shouldn’t be a concern and it’s this horse that I fear most. The selection goes to a horse who’s record in five furlong all-weather races reads three wins from five starts. Now returning to Tapeta, on a handicap mark lower than its previous victory and over the minimum trip Point North at a huge 25/1 looks value worth snapping up. Point North (E/W)

20:15 Newcastle We stick with Newcastle and wait until the last race on the card where we plump for another big priced horse to hopefully do better than their price suggests. Windforpower is the rank outsider and despite being six years old has had a total of 94 career starts. The horse has a 20% strike rate on the all-weather and showed a return to form when finishing third in a six furlong contest at this venue in September. He’s won on the artificial surface off marks of 68 and 71 in the past so now racing off an official rating of 58 it should be more than capable of going close. Of his rivals More Beau has a great chance but at a short price I couldn’t side with a horse that hasn’t won since May 2014. Meandmyshadow looks ready to go close tonight after a third in a course and distance event last time out and has to be respected off the same terms again here. With two previous course and distance victories Gypsy Major also demands respect. Windforpower (E/W)

Dundalk 21:00 Value seems to be the order of the day this evening as we find another double figure priced horse to cap off our trio of selections in the final race at Dundalk. Lunada is definitely worthy of her spot as the favourite after her course and distance victory last time out. Only a four pound rise in weight gives her a big chance of taking another win and in all honesty I couldn’t put people off backing her however I’ve gone for an each way punt tonight. Propriano is an interesting runner with an odd mix of form so if money comes for him it’d be definitely worth noting. A seventh placed finish in his only start on the all-weather Shamash seemed to be handled with kid gloves that day so connections may be holding back a little. Now at a shorter trip and from a lower draw he’s bound to go better. If connections allow him to run his race this evening he could go well at a decent price. Shamash (E/W)