12:55 Newcastle

Tuesday 1 February 2022

All12:2012:5513:3014:0014:3015:0015:3016:00

Cazoo Search Drive Smile Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:55 | Winning time: 5m 36.5s

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Selected odds by:

Loughermore⁴⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: William Shanahan⁽³⁾| T: S Waugh| OR: 100

33/1

Now 5 lb below last winning mark, but efforts so far this season have lacked spark and he needs to bounce back in a major way.

Form: 5F3-950

Sheila Nash³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Alan Doyle⁽³⁾| T: H Whittington| OR: 100

33/1

Kempton bumper winner last February and positives to glean from hurdles debut in October. Well beaten both subsequent starts, though, and improvement needed now handicapping.

Form: U10-405

Don Brocco³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Tom Midgley| T: H Graham & G Rutherford| OR: 95

16/1

Improved when third of 17 on return at Catterick, and subsequent Sedgefield effort proved that that was no flash in the pan (disputing second place when falling 2 out). Possibilities back up in trip.

Form: 7-P6P3F

Goodtimes Badtimes^p³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Edward Austin⁽³⁾| T: A M Thomson| OR: 95

9/4

Has improved following a wind op/switch to this yard, off the mark in emphatic fashion with first-time cheekpieces enlisted over 20.4f at Ayr last month. Big player despite 9 lb rise in the weights.

Form: 6F5-421

Wotsmyname³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Peter Kavanagh⁽³⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 91

11/1

Best effort yet when 12¼ lengths fourth of 15 to Goodtimes Badtimes on handicap bow at Ayr last time, and each-way shout here with this stiffer test likely to aid his cause.

Form: 9759P4

Holme Abbey^p1⁵⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Conor Rabbitt⁽¹⁰⁾| T: N G Richards| OR: 90

20/1

Hexham novices' handicap chase winner last spring. Hasn't matched that form in 3 subsequent completions, but resumes in this sphere on a workable mark and couldn't rule out with cheekpieces added.

Form: U1546F

Bonny Houxty^t⁷⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Theo Gillard| T: D W Whillans| OR: 88

80/1

Showed a bit in a couple of novice hurdles early last year, but efforts since going down the handicap route haven't been overly inspiring.

Form: 34/44-9P

Bolsover Bill⁵⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Caoilin Quinn⁽⁸⁾| T: W Greatrex| OR: 85

7/1

Yet to make much of an impact, the switch to handicap company failing to spark improvement at Plumpton last time. Needs to take a significant step forward now faced with a stiffer test.

Form: 8-70009

Best Pal^p1⁶¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-11| J: Danny Burton| T: S Drinkwater| OR: 85

11/1

Decisive winner of sole start between the flags last year. No show in a handful of runs under Rules so far, but market check advised now up in trip for this handicap bow with cheekpieces enlisted.

Form: 13897

Lewa House³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Bruce Lynn⁽³⁾| T: N W Alexander| OR: 84

20/1

Little impact in bumpers/over hurdles to date, and he's another for whom this step up in trip/switch to handicap company will need to have a profound effect.

Form: 76-883

Rainy City^p³⁰

Age: 12| Weight: 10-8| J: Mark Galligan⁽⁵⁾| T: J S Goldie| OR: 82

50/1

Has dipped to an attractive mark, but it's been all downhill since he last hit the target back in August 2019 and this veteran was over 30 lengths adrift of Goodtimes Badtimes at Ayr last month.

Form: P-90859

Freethinker^t⁶⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Lily Pinchin| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 80

9/4

Better efforts up in trip with the aid of a tongue strap the last twice, latterly finishing just one too good over 23f at Lingfield in November. 2 lb rise fair and he's one to consider.

Form: 07U-952

Seapoint^b¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: Emma Smith-Chaston⁽³⁾| T: Miss J E Foster| OR: 77| CD

16/1

Successful over C&D off a 10 lb higher mark in January 2020, but not at his best so far this season and others make greater appeal.

Form: 3-340P6

Ballyfarsoon^v²¹

Age: 11| Weight: 10-3| J: Cillin Leonard| T: P Winks| OR: 77

80/1

Five-time winner on the Flat, but just 1-26 in this sphere and he has offered precious little in 2 starts since returning to action in December.

Form: V534P0

Room At The Top^t¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: C J Todd| T: Ewan Whillans| OR: 77

40/1

Pulled up all 3 starts over hurdles and, unless the first-time visor makes the difference, he looks set for another struggle on this handicap debut.

Form: 57/PPP

Famous Moment³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-1| J: Dylan Johnston⁽⁷⁾| T: R Dobbin| OR: 75

40/1

Fetched €125,000 as 3-y-o, but hasn't gone with a great deal of promise under Rules so far and he was beaten a long way in the Ayr handicap won by Goodtimes Badtimes.

Form: 8698-60

Non-Runners

On We Go⁵⁴

Weight: 10-0| Age: 9

T: Kenny Johnson J: Non Runner

African Glory¹⁹

Weight: 10-0| Age: 8

T: M Todhunter J: Thomas Willmott

Forecasts

Freethinker (9/4), Goodtimes Badtimes (9/4), Bolsover Bill (7/1), Wotsmyname (11/1), Best Pal (11/1), Seapoint (16/1), Don Brocco (16/1), Holme Abbey (20/1), Lewa House (20/1), African Glory (25/1), Loughermore (33/1), Sheila Nash (33/1), Room At The Top (40/1), Famous Moment (40/1), Rainy City (50/1), Bonny Houxty (80/1), Ballyfarsoon (80/1)

It could be worth chancing BEST PAL, who hasn't shown much under Rules to this point, but he was successful between the flags in 2021 and it's possible that he'll be seen in a better light now upped in trip for this handicap debut with headgear applied. Goodtimes Badtimes did the job well at Ayr and is an obvious threat, while Freethinker and Holme Abbey are others to consider.