15:20 Carlisle

Tuesday 17 April 2018

All14:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0517:40

Newmarket Betting At 188Bet Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 15:20 | Winning time: 5m 7.4s

Cave Top³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 12-3| J: Ross Turner⁽⁷⁾| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 130

2/1

Enjoyed a productive season over hurdles, winning three times (2m1f to 2m4f), but he's between a rock and a hard place now, either forced to tackle handicaps from a tough mark or novice races under multiple penalties. Vulnerable.

Form: 211558

Teescomponents Lad³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Miss E Todd⁽⁷⁾| T: G Boanas| OR: 119| D

7/2

Consistent, though he is not proving all that easy to find races to win, but did so at Catterick (2m3½f, heavy) in January when dead-heating. Penalty to shoulder, and that makes life tougher.

Form: 322133

Duke Debarry⁵⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 122

10/11

Still a maiden after seven starts (0 from 4 hurdles), but represents a very rare Carlisle runner for this trainer. Drops back from 3m, which is probably advised, with his best effort being a ¾L second to Ravensdale at Haydock in December (2m3f+).

Form: 55-4246

Excalibur²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Finian O'Toole⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond

150/1

Former Polish racer who clearly hasn't taken well to life over hurdles. Jumped woefully on both starts so far (Hexham and Sedgefield), so has next to no chance on either of those showings.

Form: 59

Forth Cave¹⁸¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Sean Quinlan| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer

50/1

Tailed off in both starts over hurdles for previous trainer Joanne Foster. Off since October 2017, and starts life with a new trainer as a horse to watch in low-grade handicaps during the months ahead.

Form: 34-66

Informateur⁷³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith

14/1

Makes his hurdles debut on the back of a couple of runs in bumpers. Although beaten 9L by Air Navigator, the first of those those starts at Haydock in December (heavy) offered the most promise for the future. Early days.

Form: 28

Rajapur^p¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽⁵⁾| T: D Thompson| OR: 107

20/1

Scored over 1m6f (soft) on the Flat at Redcar in November and has shown he handles heavy over hurdles, where his best effort was at Catterick in January (third). However, that still leaves him plenty to find with that winner Teescomponents Lad.

Form: 2-438

Royal Summit^t1⁹³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: Mrs A C HamiltonWS

250/1

Produced some very modest efforts so far (bumpers and maiden/novice hurdles). Off since mid January, so wind surgery (wears a first-time tongue tie) needs to be the catalyst for a transformation in fortunes.

Form: 07PP

Forecasts

Duke Debarry (10/11), Cave Top (2/1), Teescomponents Lad (7/2), Informateur (14/1), Rajapur (20/1), Forth Cave (50/1), Excalibur (150/1), Royal Summit (250/1)

Cave Top is the top-rated of this field, but looks vulnerable under cumulative penalties for his early season gains, so this looks an ideal opportunity for the Nicky Henderson trained DUKE DEBARRY to shed the maiden tag at the eighth attempt. His previous hurdles form over this type of trip is most respectable, and we should take note of the rare presence of Henderson and at De Boinville at this track (0 from 1 since 1998, and 2 from 7 since 2008 respectively).