14:25 Newcastle

Saturday 16 December 2017

All12:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:3516:0516:35

Betway Handicap (Div 1)

Off time: 14:26 | Winning time: 2m 41.35s

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Selected odds by:

(6)

Western Way^p¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 9-11| J: Nicola Currie⁽⁷⁾| T: D E Cantillon| OR: 62

3/1

More renowned for hurdling exploits which have yielded three wins but showed he has a Flat race in him by finishing a 1¼L second behind Lotara over an inadequate 7f here last time. Step up in trip should suit, so possibilities.

Form: 29007-2

(10)

Bollihope²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-11| J: D C Costello| T: R C Guest| OR: 62| C| D

9/2

Twice a winner over 1m2f here but on a long losing run. Sound enough effort to finish fifth at Chelmsford last time (1m2f) shaping as though he's worth another crack at this longer trip (never won over it in his younger days).

Form: 237845

(11)

Falcon's Fire^b²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: G Lee| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 60| CD

5/1

C&D winner, most recently off a 2lb higher mark, but it's well over a year since he last had his head in front. That said, he hasn't been beaten far in his last two starts and he should be in the shake-up.

Form: 595736

(12)

Magistral^p¹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: P J McDonald| T: Miss L A Perratt| OR: 58

14/1

Won just one of 25 on the Flat (a Windsor maiden for John Gosden over four years ago) and remains inconsistent and far from convincing. Stepped up significantly in trip with plenty to prove.

Form: 805640

(5)

Leonard Thomas¹¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: Rowan Scott⁽³⁾| T: R Menzies| OR: 56| C

20/1

Twice a winner on the AW but a poor strike-rate overall and never looked like winning a race in seven runs for Philip Kirby. Mark has plummeted though and worth a look over a longer trip for a new yard.

Form: 047566

(8)

Life Knowledge²³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: C Lee⁽³⁾| T: P Holmes| OR: 55| CD

15/2

Only win from 22 starts so far came in an apprentices' event over C&D in February from a 3lb lower mark. Missed a chunk of the summer and has failed to shine in either run since returning so possibly best watched for now.

Form: 7-14206

(4)

Esspeegee^p⁶⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: Mr Paul Hainey⁽⁷⁾| T: A Bailey| OR: 54| D

13/2

Largely unconvincing until the autumn when he showed much-improved form to gamely edge out Kilim in successive 1m4f handicaps at Brighton. Mark has shot up as a result and is 0-6 from previous AW attempts.

Form: 328311

(9)

Bigbadboy^h1⁴⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Harrison Shaw⁽⁷⁾| T: C A Mulhall| OR: 53| C

8/1

Two successive victories this summer have resulted in stiff punishment from the handicapper and he has just been found wanting more recently. That said, a longer trip and the introduction of a hood may induce improvement, so not dismissed lightly.

Form: 011634

(1)

Mitcd⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 8-11| J: Jamie Gormley⁽⁵⁾| T: G Bewley| OR: 48

20/1

Twice a winner over hurdles but remains a Flat maiden after 10 attempts, most recently finishing mid-division from a 1lb higher mark over 2m here in October. Drop in trip not of obvious benefit.

Form: 08558/6

(7)

Percy Verence^p,t⁴²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: Rachel Richardson⁽³⁾| T: Miss Tracy Waggott| OR: 45

66/1

Pulled up on first try over hurdles recently, he remains a 22-race Flat maiden and showed very little over this C&D last time out. For all that, he wasn't beaten far off much higher marks earlier in the year.

Form: 990557

(3)

Noble Aussie¹⁰⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 8-9| J: T Eaves| T: Nicole McKenna| OR: 45

33/1

Irish raider who is still a maiden after 16 starts for three different handlers, placing just once in that time. Not entirely disgraced on most recent start over 1m2f and a market move would be interesting on his debut for another new yard.

Form: 480-698

(2)

Wind Turbine³¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-5| J: D Fentiman| T: T D Easterby| OR: 45

33/1

Has shown very little in three maidens between 6f and 1m but, having cost €28,000, it's hard to believe there isn't more to come. Interesting to see him stepped up significantly in trip for his handicap debut, so is worth noting.

Form: 906

Forecasts

Western Way (3/1), Bollihope (9/2), Falcon's Fire (5/1), Esspeegee (13/2), Life Knowledge (15/2), Bigbadboy (8/1), Magistral (14/1), Mitcd (20/1), Leonard Thomas (20/1), Noble Aussie (33/1), Wind Turbine (33/1), Percy Verence (66/1)

Hard to rule anything in or out of this contest with total confidence but Nicola Currie appeared to get a good tune out of tricky customer WESTERN WAY when the pair finished a keeping-on second over a patently inadequate 7f here last time out. Having won a 3m hurdle, this 1m4f trip should be much more suitable and a mark of just 62 is there to be exploited. Falcon's Fire, Bollinhope and Bigbadboy are also of interest, as would be Wind Turbine if the subject of market support.