13:20 Newbury

Wednesday 17 January 2018

All13:2013:5014:2515:0015:3016:05

Betfred 'Supports Jack Berry House' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:20 | Winning time: 4m 17.25s

Final Choice²⁹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: R Johnson| T: W Greatrex| OR: 120| CD

16/1

Showed the benefit of his hurdling debut when taking a C&D juvenile in late 2016 but has failed to come anywhere near close to that in three subsequent starts. Dropped 5lb from his initial mark with headgear removed but can only be watched here.

Form: 21440-

Prairie Town^p²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Lee Edwards| T: A W Carroll| OR: 119| D

12/1

Immediately brought back to hurdles after a second try and chasing proved unsuccessful although he was given a fairly stiff task. Has now slipped to below his last winning mark (120) but hasn't won for over two years and recent hurdles runs have been moderate.

Form: F33-034

Percy Street³²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: James Bowen⁽⁵⁾| T: N J Henderson| OR: 115| D

3/1

No doubt that the trainer is going well at the moment but this one continues to underachieve and he's been given enough chances to show what he can do. Dropped in grade but his temperament is coming into question and best watched for now.

Form: 663-648

Doitforthevillage^t⁶¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: Nick Scholfield| T: P Henderson| OR: 113| D

6/1

Better known as a chaser he does have the occasional run over hurdles and made his seasonal reappearance over them at Warwick in a novice event. Produced a career best over fences last time when winning at Cheltenham off 135 and now runs back over hurdles off a 22lb lower mark.

Form: 2F1-961

Tikken Away⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Jack Sherwood⁽³⁾| T: R Walford| OR: 112

25/1

Looked the sort who may do better in handicaps but ran no sort of race on his debut in that sphere last time out (possibly found out by very testing conditions). Runs off the same mark here on better ground and may be worth giving another chance dropping in trip also.

Form: 752-068

Ambre Des Marais⁴⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: N D Fehily| T: J Farrelly| OR: 112| D

9/1

Completed an autumn hat-trick in handicap hurdles the last off a mark of 102 looking to be an improved model for this yard. That winning spree ended when she returned from a break at Taunton but she still ran to form but has a career high mark to cope with now.

Form: U8/1112

Friday Night Light^t¹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: David Noonan| T: D Pipe| OR: 111

6/1

Useful on the Flat when trained in France he made his debut on the level for this yard in the Cesarewitch. Switched to hurdles soon after this will be his initial handicap try off a mark that doesn't look too onerous after a second last time out although his yard is a little quiet.

Form: 32

Lex Talionis^t⁵²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Harry Bannister| T: C J Mann| OR: 111| BF| D

10/1

Formerly with Noel Meade in Ireland he improved to win a Punchestown handicap off a 12lb lower mark over 2m. His subsequent two starts have looked to contain promise but he does looks as though he could do with a move up in trip.

Form: 4F4123

The Green Ogre^b¹⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 107| D

12/1

Despite winning over fences he did appear to lose his way over them very quickly after that victory. Back over hurdles last time he appeared far happier and although the 2m3f trip looked to find him out he still ran a sound race and is 5lb below that chase winning mark.

Form: 331/8P5

Dun Scaith^h,t¹⁷⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 10-12| J: James Best| T: Mrs S Leech| OR: 106

66/1

Not seen since the summer when coming fifth in a Cartmel handicap over an extended 3m and this trip looks short for him. Still 7lb above his last winning mark, he may find some too speedy here and it would be no surprise to see him need the run.

Form: 286-635

Summer Getaway⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: D A Jacob| T: Nick Mitchell| OR: 102

15/2

His penultimate start had very much given hope for the future when he finished midfield at Ascot over 2m3f (looked to need that run). Failed to build on that when pulled-up at Chepstow last time out in challenging conditions and may need a sounder surface to show his best.

Form: 0730-8P

Duhallow Lad⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: T J O'Brien| T: A E Jones| OR: 95

10/1

Makes his handicap debut having shown his first real form over hurdles when 4th last time out at Fontwell. May have got a few more pounds than he would/should on the back of that run but will handle the ground and worth watching in the market given his connections.

Form: 2-70P73

Forecasts

Percy Street (3/1), Friday Night Light (6/1), Doitforthevillage (6/1), Summer Getaway (15/2), Ambre Des Marais (9/1), Duhallow Lad (10/1), Lex Talionis (10/1), The Green Ogre (12/1), Prairie Town (12/1), Final Choice (16/1), Tikken Away (25/1), Dun Scaith (66/1)

Now rated 139 over fences connections of Doitforthevillage look to take advantage of his vastly lower hurdles mark (113) back over hurdles and given an advantage like that it would be surprising if he couldn’t get competitive here. Friday Night Light is quickly switched to handicaps and given his useful French Flat form looks well treated here although his stable are rather quiet at the present time. Lex Talionis looks the sort to make his mark in more handicaps although he could do with a bit more of a test and AMBRE DES MARAIS may well be able to cope with a career high mark and pick up the winning thread again. Percy Street has yet to fulfil his promise and is starting to look disappointing while bottom weight Duhallow Lad is worth watching in the betting given his step forward last time out and handicap debut here.