15:10 Newcastle
Tuesday 7 March 2017
All14:1014:4015:1015:4016:1016:40
St. James's Place Foundation Handicap Hurdle
- 4YO plus  |  Class 4  |  2m 98y  |  Heavy  |  7 Runners  |  Turf  |   Weighed In
- Off time: 15:10Â Â |Â Â Winning time: 4m 20.56s
Cloth number
Odds
Horse A-Z
Show odds
Dual bumper winner, and successful on his stable debut at Musselburgh in January 2015. Didn't set the world alight in a brief career in three starts in novice hurdles (at up to 2m4f), and far from convincing on his handicap debut at Wetherby in January (fifth of seven). Dropped 3lb and probably capable of better with time.
A versatile sort for this trainer and has won on 14 occasions during his career on the Flat, over hurdles and over fences. He bounced back from being beaten (fifth) by Oishin over C&D in December with a victory at Ayr a month later. However, he remains 8lb higher for that victory and was well beaten at Bangor last month.
Bargain buy, and not difficult to see why given his relatively small frame, but ran out a game 2¼L C&D winner on his handicap debut in December 2016, in a race which probably didn't take too much winning (Suprise Vendor fifth). Harshly given an 8lb rise and has struggled twice since; remaining 4lb higher than his last winning mark today.
Disappointing for connections that he wasn't able to follow up a decisive New Years Eve handicap debut success at Uttoxeter next time back at the same Staffordshire venue (5/4f), when finishing only fifth of eight to Minella Fiveo. An 18lb rise possibly only tells part of the story given that a tongue tie is applied today, and fully proven in deep ground, this mark of 102 might not be beyond him if settling better here.
Point-to-Point winner who dispatched Airpur Debois (runs in the 2.10pm) by 12L over 2m4f at Uttoxeter early last month, before going down from a 10lb higher mark (sixth) to the well backed Aengus at Wetherby later in February. Drops back to the minimum trip, eased a couple of pounds, and did have the speed to finish second in a bumper for Robert Stephens back in April 2015.
Three time hurdles winner, but not since January 2015 when rated 97, and has shown little now for quite some time. Given a couple of months off since his last run at Ayr, you'd be seeking signs of a revival before considering his declining mark of 86 an interesting one.
Three time Flat winner, but a frustrating character whose sole success over hurdles was on heavy ground over this C&D in February 2015. Finished one place behind Modulus when beaten by Aengus at Wetherby last month, and needs the tongue tie (added to visor) to have a transformational impact.
Forecasts
Modulus (3/1), Manwell (3/1), Oishin (4/1), Catching Shadows (11/2), Suprise Vendor (9/1), Cadore (12/1), Politbureau (12/1)
Horses aren't machines, and it can often pay to forgive them the odd below par run. This could prove to be the case here with MANWELL, who probably wasn't solely stopped by the 18lb rise at Uttoxeter in January. He over-raced (keen) when bidding to follow up his New Years Eve success, and the tongue tie might help him to settle today on ground on which we know he revels. A mark of 102 remains exploitable, and the Sam England trained seven-year-old can be fancied to bounce back and down the dropped in trip Uttoxeter winner Modulus.
- Manwell
- Modulus
- Suprise Vendor
Prize Money
1st: £3,249.002nd: £954.003rd: £477.004th: £238.00
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