14:45 Newcastle

Saturday 24 February 2018

All13:3514:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:05

Betfred Eider Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:45 | Winning time: 8m 57.00s

Back To The Thatch³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 0-0| J: R Johnson| T: H D Daly| OR: 129

6/1

Lacks much experience over fences (1 from 4) and certainly not in the hustle and bustle of a competitive handicap run over a marathon trip. Raised 9lb for his commanding victory at Chepstow latest (2m7f+ heavy) which was his career best performance.

Form: 49-F231

Bako De La Saulaie²⁹

Age: 15| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: R Dobbin| OR: 123

Form: 5611-42

Beeves²⁰

Age: 19| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: J Candlish| OR: 147| C

Form: 5511-19

Benbens⁴⁹

Age: 21| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 138

Form: 34-7419

Chase The Spud⁴⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 0-0| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 139| D

16/1

Saw off the 2017 Eider winner Mysteree when taking the Midlands National (4m1f) by 1½L in March and kicked off the current campaign with further gains at Haydock (3m1f+). Shot up the weights, and that was his undoing in the Welsh National latest.

Form: 2751-1P

Cogry²¹

Age: 17| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 138

Form: 22-1P2U

Houblon Des Obeaux^p²⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 0-0| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 144

16/1

Dour mud loving stayer who finished 9¼L fourth to Chase The Spud in the 2017 Midlands National, but returned this season to take a veterans race at Sandown in November (3m good to soft) by ½L from Third Intention. Tough, but yard not exactly flying.

Form: 40-1663

Milansbar^b⁴²

Age: 11| Weight: 0-0| J: J E Moore| T: N B King| OR: 134

11/1

Struggling from an early stage in this race in 2017 following a mistake at the fourth (pulled up), but back to his very best when a decisive 11L winner of Warwick's Classic Chase (3m5f soft) last month. Up 9lb, with the jockey of the moment aboard.

Form: PP-63U1

Baywing¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 0-0| J: R D Day⁽³⁾| T: N G Richards| OR: 142

8/1

Bolted up by 22L in the 2017 Towton Novices Chase at Wetherby (3m soft), and kicked off this term with an impossible task at Carlisle in November. Working back to form and far from disgraced when 7¼L third to Smooth Stepper over 3m here recently.

Form: 14-3F53

Daklondike⁵⁶

Age: 14| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: D Pipe| OR: 140

Form: 4-41411

Dare To Endeavour⁵⁸

Age: 19| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: E McNamara| OR: 119

Form: 0P-PP53

Dawson City³⁷

Age: 17| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: P Gundry| OR: 128

Form: 31P-4P3

Hainan³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 0-0| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 140

11/2

Second season chaser who bossed his rivals when scoring by 12L at Haydock in November (3m4f heavy), and looked the type who'd stay further. 8lb higher and beaten (third) in a stronger race since, so requires a career best effort today.

Form: 135-P13

Knockanrawley³⁵

Age: 18| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 132

Form: 526-23P

Emperor's Choice⁴⁹

Age: 19| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 131

Form: P5P-31F

Boric^p⁶⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 0-0| J: Callum Bewley⁽³⁾| T: S Waugh| OR: 125| C

14/1

A stout stayer who goes well at Newcastle (2x 2m4f winner). Reached new heights recently; a game winner of the Highlands National at Perth in April (3m6f), and beaten just a neck by handicap snip Audacious Plan in the Durham National (Sedgefield).

Form: 81-2246

Harry The Viking⁵⁶

Age: 21| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: A M Thomson| OR: 128

Form: 7449-13

Harry Topper³⁵⁷

Age: 19| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 140| BF

Form: PP5/P44-

Joe Farrell⁶⁶

Age: 17| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 126

Form: 20-4243

Local Show²⁰

Age: 18| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: Mrs S J Humphrey| OR: 129

Form: P8P-64P

Lochnell⁵³

Age: 9| Weight: 0-0| J: Henry Brooke| T: I A Duncan| OR: 113

50/1

Improving mare who has won two of her last three races on deep ground at Ayr (3m). In fact all six of her career victories have come on the west coast of Scotland, and she's in very deep here from out of the handicap.

Form: 8-44211

Maggio⁵³

Age: 21| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: P Griffin| OR: 148

Form: 1/4504-4

Millicent Silver^v³⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 0-0| J: Jordan Nailor⁽⁷⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 113

50/1

Beaten just a neck by Kingswell Theatre in the 2017 Devon National at Exeter 12 months ago, but has proved disappointing since. Seemingly requires an extreme test, and she'll get that today, but looks outclassed from well out of the handicap.

Form: 23PP-54

Mustmeetalady²⁸

Age: 16| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 132

Form: 1-98U10

Mysteree⁴⁹

Age: 18| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: M Scudamore| OR: 138| CD

Form: 8/1P12-P

Silsol⁴⁹

Age: 17| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 144

Form: 32/81-05

Smooth Stepper¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 0-0| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 132| C

20/1

Very well suited by this track, and has twice given commanding performances over the past 12 months when allowed to bowl along in front (fences well) to score over 3m. Didn't appear to stay in this race in 2017 and is 4lb higher now, so opposed.

Form: 6P-5021

Silver Tassie¹⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 0-0| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 128

33/1

Stable in form, but this horse has generally found life tough since winning at Ayr in March 2017 (3m heavy). Better latest when splitting Smooth Stepper and Baywing over 3m here earlier this month, but far from certain he's capable in this grade.

Form: 3P-6562

Milborough⁴⁴

Age: 12| Weight: 0-0| J: D R Fox| T: I A Duncan| OR: 127| CD

14/1

At his best when the mud is flying, with his career highlight coming when landing this race off a 10lb lower mark in 2015. Less effective under less testing conditions the past two years, and probably not quite the force of old.

Form: 4U16P-4

Nortonthorpelegend⁶⁴

Age: 16| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: R Menzies| OR: 114

Form: 4P-8428

The Dutchman³⁵

Age: 16| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 148

Form: 227-261

Themanfrom Minella^b,t³⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 0-0| J: Max Kendrick⁽⁵⁾| T: B I Case| OR: 128

20/1

Prominent racer who has improved for the fitting of blinkers, and arrives on a hat-trick following victories at Warwick (3m heavy) and Wincanton (3m2f+ heavy). Rating rising steadily, and it'll take some performance to make all here.

Form: 2-PP211

Three Ways⁵⁴

Age: 15| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 135

Form: 418-221

Vicente⁴⁹

Age: 17| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 151

Form: 69F1-2U

Vinnie Lewis⁴⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 0-0| J: Harry Bannister| T: H Whittington| OR: 127

5/1

On a upward curve, rising 23lb in the weights since winning at Sedgefield in November. Raised 9lb for his latest 6L Sussex National success (3m4f+ heavy, Plumpton), but that form was well advertised by runner up Shanroe Santos at Carlisle on Monday.

Form: 42-3411

Thebarrowman^p,t⁴²

Age: 8| Weight: 0-0| J: R Loughran| T: A Keatley| OR: 128| BF

14/1

Lightly raced Irish raider who is yet to taste victory over fences under rules (0 from 4) so this rates as a tough assignment. Not long out of novice company and has stamina to prove, but connections are happy to travel and he remains unexposed.

Form: 50-2247

West Of The Edge^p⁵⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 0-0| J: W T Kennedy| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 128

11/1

Balloted out of this race in 2017, but made amends to score at Warwick in March (3m5f+ soft). Kicked about over timber early this campaign, but posted a sound effort over fences latest when a 3½L runner up to Emperors Choice at Haydock (3m3f+).

Form: 271-372

Portrait King^v¹⁷

Age: 13| Weight: 0-0| J: A W Short⁽⁵⁾| T: P Griffin| OR: 123| CD

33/1

Admirable veteran who was a 3L winner of this contest back in 2012, and has also competed in the race in 2015, 2016 and 2017; finishing 9¾L third to Rocking Blues two years ago. Handily weighted nowadays, and likely spot on for 'his' race.

Form: 0-2P564

Finaghy Ayr⁵³

Age: 18| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: I A Duncan| OR: 102

Form: 2FP-512

Wild West Wind⁴⁹

Age: 17| Weight: 0-0| J: Unknown| T: T R George| OR: 143

Form: 2/113-1F

Forecasts

Vinnie Lewis (5/1), Hainan (11/2), Back To The Thatch (6/1), Baywing (8/1), West Of The Edge (11/1), Milansbar (11/1), Milborough (14/1), Boric (14/1), Thebarrowman (14/1), Chase The Spud (16/1), Houblon Des Obeaux (16/1), Smooth Stepper (20/1), Themanfrom Minella (20/1), Portrait King (33/1), Silver Tassie (33/1), Lochnell (50/1), Millicent Silver (50/1)

Behind the Fighting Fifth Hurdle in November, the Eider Chase is Newcastle's second most prestigious race of the National Hunt season, and the 2018 renewal has attracted a strong line up, featuring a couple of previous winners, Portrait King (2012) and Milborough (2015), as well as the 2017 Midlands National winner Chase The Spud, the 2018 Classic Chase winner Milansbar, and the 2018 Sussex National winner Vinnie Lewis. As always, the 4m1f trip on heavy ground at Newcastle will take some getting, therefore the doubtful or unproven stayers such as Smooth Stepper and Thebarrowman can be ignored. Baywing warmed up for this with a decent effort latest, and should have more to offer, but the attention is drawn to those horses more handily weighted. West Of The Edge was balloted out in 2017, but gets a run this time around, with any staying chaser of Dr Richard Newland's always feared. However, we'll plump for the relatively inexperienced Henry Daly trained BACK TO THE THATCH. He's 9lb higher than when winning impressively at Chepstow last month, but is improving quickly, handles heavy ground, and has the Champion Jockey Richard Johnson in the plate.