13:30 Newcastle

Saturday 14 April 2018

All13:3014:0514:4015:2015:5516:3017:0017:45

vertem.co.uk Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 13:32 | Winning time: 6m 6.6s

Granard¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Jamie Bargary| T: N & W Twiston-Davies

4/7

Outbattled his prominent racing chief market rival when scoring in a small field 2m6f novices event at Ffos Las (heavy) on hurdles debut earlier this month. Has the potential for further improvement at this galloping track.

Form: P2-31

Boy Named Sioux¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: Ruth Jefferson

7/1

Made a fair hurdles debut at Market Rasen last month (2m+ good to soft), when plugging on to fill the third spot behind Or De Vassy and First Drift. Could ideally brush up his technique over the obstacles, but that'll come with more racing.

Form: 73

Jiminy Cricket¹⁸⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: J Kington⁽³⁾| T: S G West

33/1

Pulled up on hurdles debut at Kelso in October (2m5f good) and not seen in competitive action since. Whilst this is undoubtedly a weaker race, he couldn't really be expected to play a hand.

Form: 4P

Luvly Boy Blue^t1

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Mr R Wilson⁽⁷⁾| T: S Corbett

100/1

Unraced seventh (living) foal out of the moderate dam Mellouise (by Blueprint). Half-brother to bumper/3m hurdle winner Abzuson, and wears a tongue tie on debut.

Form:

Montydarkdestroyer⁷²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: W T Kennedy| T: J J Davies

50/1

Not seen any racecourse action since April 2016, and tries the hurdling option for the first time in his career. His dam Markila was a 2m hurdle winner, and a half sister to past Northumberland Plate winner Ile De Re.

Form: 05/

Wor Verge²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: James Corbett⁽⁵⁾| T: S Corbett

14/1

Finished a distant third in an AW bumper here in February before heading off over hurdles at Carlisle next time (2m1f good to soft). Still early days in his development, but looks more of a handicap project for the future.

Form: 8735

Eternally Yours⁵⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Callum Whillans⁽³⁾| T: D W Whillans

5/2

Sedgefield bumper winner on Boxing Day (2m1f soft) who wasn't disgraced carrying a penalty in a better race at Musselburgh next time (fourth). Tries hurdling for the first time over a new trip and off a two-month absence.

Form: 414

Love At Dawn²²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Ross Chapman⁽³⁾| T: P D Niven

33/1

Sister to a bumper/2m4f jumps winner (Wishmoor), but didn't really blossom in bumpers. Novicey over hurdles, but this longer trip (slower pace) might place less of a strain on her hurdling technique.

Form: 0765

Forecasts

Granard (4/7), Eternally Yours (5/2), Boy Named Sioux (7/1), Wor Verge (14/1), Love At Dawn (33/1), Jiminy Cricket (33/1), Montydarkdestroyer (50/1), Luvly Boy Blue (100/1)

Stronger numerically than the Ffos Las contest in which GRANARD made a winning hurdles debut earlier in the month, but not a lot to recommend with regards his other rivals so far. The majority of the field are either inexperienced over hurdles, returning from an absence or stepping up in trip, so the Nigel Twiston-Davies trained runner looks by far the safest option. Whilst he drops slightly back in trip today, heavy ground at a stiff galloping track will help to offset that potential negative factor. Boy Named Sioux should prove best of the rest.