14:53 Newcastle

Saturday 25 February 2023

All13:1013:4314:1814:5315:2516:0316:3817:15

Think Smart At Vertem Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:54 | Winning time: 4m 13.05s

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Selected odds by:

Blue Fin³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 111

2/1

Placed twice in points and best effort yet under Rules when third in 15-runner Catterick novice (19.3f, soft) last month, pulling clear with a couple of previous winners. Drop back on trip shouldn't be an issue and he just about sets the standard on that form.

Form: 723-233

Caithness²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

4/1

Decent pedigree and shaped with plenty of encouragement when third behind a couple of useful types on debut in a C&D novice, leaving the impression that he'd be all the better for the experience. Improvement should be forthcoming.

Form: 3

Captain Nelson⁶⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Ryan Mania| T: R M Smith

150/1

Showed nothing in an Ayr bumper on debut last spring and fared no better on return/hurdles bow at the same course in December.

Form: 7-P

Long Symphony^t²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Charlie Price⁽³⁾| T: L Horsfall

5/1

Signs of ability in a couple of bumpers in 2021 and improved in a first-time tongue strap following almost 2 years off when winning one at Wetherby (2m, good to soft). That probably wasn't a particularly strong race, though, and more will be needed now switched to hurdles.

Form: 46/1

Shuil Ceoil²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Danny McMenamin| T: N P Mulholland

14/1

Minor promise on Rules debut in a Wincanton bumper on Boxing Day but was well held when falling 2 out at the same course (hurdles debut) earlier this month.

Form: F-7F

Si Elegant²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Jack Tudor| T: Christian Williams

16/1

Bought for €155,000 after finishing second in a 3-y-o hurdle on sole start in France back in September 2021. Ran out at around the half-way point on British debut at Hereford (19.7f, good to soft), though, and looks risky on the back of that inauspicious display.

Form: 2-R

Hashtag Boum²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Sean Quinlan| T: Ruth Jefferson

4/1

Irish point winner who left her low-key Rules debut effort over 19.3f at Catterick well behind when runner-up dropped to 2m in a 11-runner Wetherby novice 3 weeks ago. Likely to make a bold bid to go one better here.

Form: 102

Lenebane^t1⁸²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Aaron Anderson⁽⁵⁾| T: R Menzies| OR: 101WS

17/2

Displayed a fair level of ability in Irish maiden hurdles for Ross O'Sullivan and shaped as though in need of the run on stable debut in December. Better expected now tongue tied on back of a breathing op.

Form: 05524

Forecasts

Blue Fin (2/1), Hashtag Boum (4/1), Caithness (4/1), Long Symphony (5/1), Lenebane (17/2), Shuil Ceoil (14/1), Si Elegant (16/1), Captain Nelson (150/1)

The form of the C&D novice in which CAITHNESS was an encouraging third on his debut looks strong (winner was previously fourth in a Grade 1 and the second subsequently scored in good style at Kelso) and he could be about to take a significant step forward. Lucinda Russell's representative gets the nod ahead of Blue Fin, who is just about second choice ahead of Hashtag Boum. The mare Lenebane is also worth a second look.