Newbury Bid Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:56 | Winning time: 4m 1.1s

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Selected odds by:

Zanza^h²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Houlihan⁽³⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 136| CD

3/1

In very deep on handicap debut at Ascot (Grade 3) but struck over C&D in March (good to soft) when beating the reopposing Our Merlin by 1¾L; 5lb above that winning mark; must leave a poor seasonal reappearance firmly behind.

Form: 18101-P

Our Merlin²³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Ben Jones| T: R Walford| OR: 130| D

6/1

Absent since finishing second to Zanza over C&D in March (good to soft); recommences battle on broadly similar terms (has risen 3lb in the handicap since); expect a bold bid from the front, with the forecast rain also beneficial to his chances.

Form: 312F92-

Magic Dancer^p,t¹⁶⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: R Patrick⁽³⁾| T: Kerry Lee| OR: 128| DWS

9/2

Didn't manage to get his head in front last season although produced a number of creditable efforts, including when beaten 4L by Storm Rising on seasonal reappearance at Cheltenham (2m+, good); first start since wind surgery.

Form: 57223-6

Cosmeapolitan¹⁷³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Alexander Thorne⁽⁶⁾| T: A King| OR: 126| BF| CD

10/1

Struggled to make his mark on the Flat (has ability) when last in action here in May (1m, good); is very lightly raced over hurdles with this race representing just his fourth start; landed the odds (1-3f) in a C&D juvenile event in December 2016.

Form: 17/3-

Westbrook Bertie¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Harry Reed| T: M R Channon| OR: 125

28/1

Decisive winner of a juvenile maiden hurdle at Fontwell (2m1½f, soft) last December; did okay immediately afterwards but finished the season early (February) with a laboured effort; fit from a couple of recent spins on the Flat; tough mark?

Form: 3123-

Capone³⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Charlie Price⁽³⁾| T: C J Mann| OR: 124| D

9/2

Consistent last season (41212) without being spectacular; didn't jump fluently on seasonal reappearance at Fontwell (2m1½f, good) and needs to significantly better that effort in order to play a constructive role; eased 3lb since.

Form: 41212-6

Petit Palais²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: Fergus Gregory| T: T R George| OR: 123| D

9/2

Held on gamely when scoring at Stratford (2m+, good) in March, notching a second win over obstacles in the process; low-mileage in handicaps and should improve for his seasonal reappearance at Chepstow (2m, soft); stable in-form.

Form: 1510-4

Deadline Diva^h1,t²²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: Lorcan Williams⁽³⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 120| DWS

14/1

Won in France (Bordeaux Le Bouscat) prior to joining Paul Nicholls; highly tried as a juvenile (demonstrating some ability); mildly interesting to see what the market makes of her chances on handicap debut (post wind surgery & sporting headgear).

Form: 1F90-

Forecasts

Zanza (3/1), Magic Dancer (9/2), Petit Palais (9/2), Capone (9/2), Our Merlin (6/1), Cosmeapolitan (10/1), Deadline Diva (14/1), Westbrook Bertie (28/1)

Tom George has started the new jumps season in a rich vein of form, and the lightly raced Petit Palais is expected to show improvement from his seasonal reappearance fourth to Torpillo (Chepstow), while Cosmeapolitan is a C&D winner (juvenile) with relatively few miles on the clock. However, in what represents a tricky start to the jumps season at Newbury, and with further rain in the forecast we'll opt to side with the Robert Walford-trained OUR MERLIN. He has been absent since finishing runner-up to Zanza (lifeless on seasonal reappearance) over C&D in March, but can be expected to make his usual bold bid from the front.