15:00 Newcastle
Wednesday 22 March 2017
All14:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:3017:00
Betway Maiden Stakes
- 3YO plus | Class 5 | 1m 2f 42y | Standard | 10 Runners | Allweather | Weighed In
- Off time: 15:00 | Winning time: 2m 20.82s
Cloth number
Odds
Horse A-Z
Show odds
Talented novice hurdler for Keith Dalgleish, and handicap hurdler for Dan Skelton (3L Cheltenham winner from a mark of 127 in April 2015) who starts his Flat career off a lengthy absence for another new trainer. Boasts winning form in bumpers, and this looks a reasonable starting point with the market informative as to his likely chance.
Experienced on turf, but it has to be a concern that he's been absent since May 2016, and makes his AW debut carrying joint top-weight. Twice placed from marks in the low 70's over 1m at Pontefract early last season, and holds a reasonable chance on that form if staying this extra yardage (likely).
Sedgefield debutant bumper winner in September 2015, but appeared to find this trip short enough on her AW debut when fifth of eight to On Fire here earlier this month. Can be expected to improve for that start (her first run for 18 months).
Finished one place in front of her stablemate Absolute Angel when finishing fourth of eight to On Fire on her racecourse debut here earlier this month. Half-sister to winning hurdler Spiekeroog.
Not trouble the leaders, but beaten just over 4L when fourth to Enfolding in a 1m1½F maiden at Wolverhampton recently (100/1). This was a massive step forward on what she'd shown previously, but the jury has to be out on whether or not she can reproduce that effort for now.
Tailed off in two starts in bumpers during the winter months, and finished last of eight on her Flat debut to On Fire here (some of today's rivals ahead) earlier this month. Little realistic chance.
His first two starts in maiden company were certainly in much stronger races than this (beaten by Middle Kingdom here over 1m in late November), and he attracted some minor market support when third of nine to Harlow on his return earlier this month (1m). Tries this trip for the first time, and that looks a good move.
Green when well beaten on debut at Ripon in May 2016 (5F), and showed little more when a distant fourth of eight over a mile here to Excel Again last month. Upped another 2F in trip today.
His two starts as a juvenile came six months apart, with the first of these runs at Sandown in June especially indicating that he was more than ready for a step up from 7F. However, whether this 1m2f at a stiff track is ideal remains to be seen, but he is a half-brother to 1m6f winner Sebastian Beach. Off since November, but one of the likelier types in a weak maiden.
Tailed off last of ten when sent off at odds of 100/1 on her debut at Hamilton in May 2016, and no reason to expect any better on this her AW debut.
Non-Runners
2
(10)
Ibreeq12
Weight: 10-0| Age: 4
T: R Fell & S Murray J: Non Runner
NR
Forecasts
Wefait (2/1), Cray (2/1), Hurricane Hollow (5/2), Lopes Dancer (6/1), Redarna (33/1), Dan's Hopeforglory (33/1), Delphyne (40/1), Absolute Angel (40/1), Ibreeq (50/1), Hot Gossip (125/1), Heavenly Gait (200/1)
A very moderate 1m2f AW maiden in which the 'battle' for last place looks far more competitive than the one for first place. Wefait has to enter calculations on the strength of his trainer alone, and he has appeared visually to need further than 7F. Talented hurdler Hurricane Hollow in theory shouldn't be up to winning a maiden off ten stone, but the market holds the key to his chances in a very poor race, whilst Lopes Dancer has fair turf form over a mile from last spring. However, a chance is taken that CRAY is good enough to get off the mark now upped to 1m2f, after a reasonable return here over a mile (third) earlier this month.
- Cray
- Lopes Dancer
- Wefait
Prize Money
1st: £4,528.002nd: £1,348.003rd: £673.004th: £337.00
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