13:50 Newbury

Saturday 30 December 2017

All12:0512:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:35

Betfred Wishing You A Very Happy New Year Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:50 | Winning time: 5m 26.72s

Sir Antony Browne²⁵³

Age: 5| Weight: 0-0| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 141| C

16/1

Well placed by his trainer to win twice as a novice hurdler last season, including over the extended 2m here in March (good to soft). Off the track since April when finishing 9½L third at Ayr. Plenty of weight for handicap bow.

Form: 13/1213-

Shelford^p⁴¹

Age: 8| Weight: 0-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 140| BF

16/1

Hasn't raced over hurdles since February, with his last seven starts coming over fences. Stays well and handles testing conditions, but a surprise if he's competitive over this trip nowadays from an elevated hurdles handicap mark.

Form: 22-2235

Wilde Blue Yonder⁶¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 0-0| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King| OR: 133| C

9/1

A promising career as a novice hurdler was blighted by a couple of late falls in the 13/14 campaign, and he's raced just once since April 2014 (in April 2016). Impossible to assess how much ability he retains back from another layoff.

Form: 1FF540/

Remiluc¹⁵

Age: 16| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: C Gordon| OR: 139| C

Form: 8-4U322

Dynamite Dollars²²

Age: 4| Weight: 0-0| J: Bryony Frost⁽⁵⁾| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 133

8/1

Kicked off the campaign with back-to-back novice hurdle successes, but the suspicion was that those races weren't the strongest of contests. Struggled a fraction in better races since, but respected now tackling handicap company for the first time.

Form: 36-1135

Huntsman Son¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 0-0| J: James Bowen⁽⁵⁾| T: A M Hales| OR: 133| D

9/2

Connections are being handsomely rewarded for adopting a patient approach with this fast improving Millenary gelding. Arrives seeking a December hat-trick following victories at Market Rasen and Doncaster, but is 11lb higher for his latest success.

Form: P/13-211

Theligny⁶²

Age: 6| Weight: 0-0| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 133| CD

7/1

His C&D success came in this race in 2016, when beating Geordie Des Champs by 2¾L, and he has been raced sparingly since. 6lb above his last winning mark, but better than the finishing position of seventh at Aintree in October (2m4f).

Form: 1121P-7

Diable De Sivola⁴²

Age: 4| Weight: 0-0| J: Lizzie Kelly⁽³⁾| T: Nick Williams| OR: 132

5/2

Back from a summer break in decent shape without appearing overly well handicapped. His Fontwell reappearance second to Dashing Oscar has been well advertised since, and he didn't quite stay the 2m5f trip at Cheltenham latest.

Form: 3235-24

Brave Eagle⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 0-0| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 131

11/4

Lost his unbeaten record over hurdles on his seasonal reappearance at Exeter last month when a 15L runner up to Speredek (2m1f soft). Dropped 2lb since, but looks just the type to be well suited by a step up in trip.

Form: 33/11-2

Cyrius Moriviere²⁸

Age: 15| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: B Pauling| OR: 127| D

Form: UUP6-43

Vicenzo Mio⁴

Age: 15| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: C Gordon| OR: 122

Form: 3/833-86

Forecasts

Diable De Sivola (5/2), Brave Eagle (11/4), Huntsman Son (9/2), Theligny (7/1), Dynamite Dollars (8/1), Wilde Blue Yonder (9/1), Sir Antony Browne (16/1), Shelford (16/1)

The suspicion is that this race mightn't be as competitive as it initially looks, so that's probably good news for Alex Hales, whose improving Millenary gelding Huntsman Son seeks to make light of an 11lb rise in the weights and land a quickfire December hat-trick. 2016 winner Theligny has been raced sparingly since, but could make the frame from a 6lb higher mark, whilst Dynamite Dollars deserves the time of day at least now tackling handicap company for the first time. However, the horse of most interest is BRAVE EAGLE. In some respects, his Exeter reappearance effort was just a fraction disappointing, but he looks the type to relish this step up in trip on testing ground, and represents a horse to very much discount at your own peril.