11:45 Newcastle
Saturday 23 December 2017
All11:4512:1512:5013:2514:0014:3515:10
bet365 Novices' Hurdle
- 4YO plus | Class 4 | 2m 4f 133y | Soft (Good to Soft in places) | 15 Runners | Turf | Weighed In
- Off time: 11:45 | Winning time: 5m 15.1s
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Proved himself a fair Flat handicapper (rated in the high 70's), and made a winning start over hurdles at Hexham in September (2m heavy) with a decisive 9L success (runner up rated 109). Back from a break, and upped in trip.
Bought back for €3,500 as a three-year-old. Showed little in the way of promise on debut at Wetherby in October when pulled up behind Barton Knoll (2m3f+ good).
Turned in a promising first effort in bumpers (runner-up) having looked to be bred more for stamina than speed. Two subsequent runs haven't really appeared to see him move forward and he now makes his hurdles debut stepped up in trip.
£30,000 purchase in November 2016 after scoring in a 3m Tinahely point-to-point. Looks in need of a trip, and whilst slightly disappointing thus far has generally mixed it in stronger novice hurdles than today's. That said, he needs more.
First start for this trainer (had just the one run for Oliver Sherwood) but his third to Jenkins on only start in a bumper reads well. However, that was back in April 2016, so clearly has had issues since, and is likely to need this.
Well held in a maiden on the Flat when with James Given, and he showed very little on his hurdling debut for this yard at Musselburgh last month (2m good).
Showed a glimmer of promise in a maiden hurdle at Perth in April but took a backwards step at Kelso on his latest start, although he may have needed that. Possibly one for handicaps down the line.
His form in Irish point-to-points was modest to say the least and he barely stepped up on that on his initial start over hurdles at Musselburgh. Pulled-up on that occasion he'll need to show a lot more here in order to get involved.
A £30,000 pick in July 2016 (3m maiden point-to-point scorer). Failed to make much of an impact in a bumper and a Carlisle novices hurdle in the spring, but a step up to this trip is almost certainly a plus.
Overly keen on his hurdles debut in a strong heat at Exeter in October, he fared better next time at Taunton despite being beaten 22L by Brahms De Clermont (2m+ good). Not certain to stay 2m4f at a stiff, galloping track.
Eighth foal by Sulamani out of Penny's Pride, and a brother to the useful bumper and novice hurdle winner Crowning Jewel. The best of his three efforts in bumpers came here on debut in March, but he looks one to track now going over timber.
Won his only Irish point-to-point and bought for £42,000 in the spring. 13-2 for debut bumper here last month and whilst beaten 8L, he did shape with promise. Non-runner at Ayr on Friday, and this trip looks ideal for hurdles debut.
Decisive winner of a 3m Curraghmore maiden in April (good) before moving on privately to these shores. Folded late on after making much of the running in an Ayr bumper early last month (2m heavy), and is now quickly switched to hurdles.
Cost just £1,800 as a foal, this brother to the useful 2m7f-3m2f hurdle/chase winner Potters Cross was tailed off in a Sedgefield bumper on debut earlier this month. No reason to expect improvement on hurdles debut.
Failed to really grasp the nettle in bumpers, and has fared very similarly since switched to hurdles. Tackles a longer trip now, and her dam did have stamina in her pedigree, but readily overlooked for win purposes.
Non-Runners
4
Hooligan Jack1
Weight: 10-12| Age: 4
T: I Jardine J: Non Runner
NR
Forecasts
Silva Eclipse (6/4), Snapdragon Fire (10/3), Mankala (5/1), The Great Getaway (9/1), Sultans Pride (12/1), Sweet As Candy (16/1), Manitowoc County (20/1), Hooligan Jack (25/1), Northern Girl (40/1), Rising Marienbard (50/1), French Ticket (50/1), Okey Dokey (100/1), Night Comes In (125/1), My Jamaican Guy (250/1), Younoso (250/1), Choix De L'amour (250/1)
The most sizeable field of the afternoon, but no shortage of what could most politely be termed as moderate horses, so the list of likely winners is fairly brief. Both Sultans Pride and Sweet As Candy contested a decent little bumper at this track last month, and look prime candidates to step forward immeasurably now granted a longer trip over hurdles. Similar comments also apply to Irish point-to-point scorer The Great Getaway. Snapdragon Fire has shown a reasonable level of form for Tom Lacey and is likely to seek to dominate from the front, but he'll prove vulnerable over this trip at the business end, so by far the safest option is the debut Hexham scorer SILVA ECLIPSE. His form mightn't necessarily equate to all that much, and he tackles a new trip today, but he couldn't have done anything more to impress than he did at the Northumberland track, and this looks a good option to defy the penalty.
- Silva Eclipse
- Sweet As Candy
- Sultans Pride
Prize Money
1st: £3,249.002nd: £954.003rd: £477.004th: £238.00
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