12:40 Newcastle

Thursday 13 December 2018

All12:1012:4013:1513:4514:2014:5515:25

Best Odds Guaranteed At 188Bet Handicap Hurdle (Div 2)

Off time: 12:41 | Winning time: 5m 6.30s

Samtu^p,t¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 12-1| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽³⁾| T: F P Murtagh| OR: 101

14/1

Seen to the best effect that he has been for a while last time with a 3rd at Musselburgh over 3m. Has raced off higher marks in the past and looks on one that gives him a chance of regaining a winning thread here.

Form: 5572F3

Diggin Deep¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: W T Kennedy| T: S Hanlon| OR: 98

3/1

The change of yard appeared to work the oracle when he was successful last time at Musselburgh over 3m (well supported; Samtu back in 3rd). Given a 10lb rise in the weights for that 6L victory and drops back 4f to 2m4f here; still respected.

Form: 07-7571

Glamorous Gold⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Grant Cockburn⁽³⁾| T: Mrs L B Normile| OR: 97

18/1

First run for a new yard having previously been trained in Ireland and run well enough in two of the three handicaps she's contested. Faces some progressive types (for the grade) here though and will do well to lose her maiden tag.

Form: 875305

Witness²⁰⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Miss Becky Smith⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 95

14/1

Cashed in on a lower hurdles mark when scoring over hurdles (3m) at Wetherby in the spring having shaped well the time before. Two runs after that showed very little and just underlined how inconsistent he can be and remains above that winning mark.

Form: 3461-76

Gold Chain²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 91

9/4

Quirky and on occasions temperamental mare who offered very little on debut for this yard who have a good record at turning such types around. Beyond that it's hard to build much of a case for her on recent evidence.

Form: P-75PP4

Casimir Du Clos¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Sam Coltherd⁽⁵⁾| T: W Coltherd| OR: 88

50/1

Makes his handicap debut having so far looked rather limited in various company at up to 2m4f. Would need to make a major step forward to get involved in the finish here.

Form: P/5-75

Love At Dawn^b1²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Henry Brooke| T: P D Niven| OR: 87

20/1

Cheekpieces quickly swapped for first-time blinkers and she's so far offered little in handicap company but now drops to a career-low mark. Ran her best race over C&D in testing conditions and not totally written off in this scenario.

Form: 7652-9P

Moores Novelty¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Lucy Alexander| T: N W Alexander| OR: 85

12/1

A tongue-tie and a step up to this trip appeared to help him show a little more at Perth in May (remains his best run). Given some wind surgery after that and upped again in trip on his return but offered little and more needed.

Form: 870P-4P

Airdrigh^p,t²²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: B S Hughes| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 82

12/1

Most likely summed up by his career record of 0-15 and looks an inconsistent sort running one of his better races last time out with a tongue-tie added to his usual cheekpieces. Drops again in the handicap; no guarantee he'll reproduce his last run.

Form: 654804

Herecomesnelson¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-3| J: Callum Bewley| T: K Scott| OR: 75

11/2

Has fallen rapidly in the weights and although he remains a maiden of long-standing his two efforts since his wind operation have hinted he may be able to win a race. Looks worthy of a try beyond this trip at times; no forlorn hope.

Form: P7-9434

Millrose Bell⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: T J Phelan| T: V Thompson| OR: 69

40/1

Has shown glimmers of ability in her early days over hurdles but that initial lustre has soon faded. Her latest run back in novice company hinted at a little more to offer but she was probably flattered and has to follow that up back in handicaps.

Form: 7657-P4

Forecasts

Gold Chain (9/4), Diggin Deep (3/1), Herecomesnelson (11/2), Airdrigh (12/1), Moores Novelty (12/1), Samtu (14/1), Witness (14/1), Glamorous Gold (18/1), Love At Dawn (20/1), Millrose Bell (40/1), Casimir Du Clos (50/1)

This looks a little stronger than the first division with DIGGIN DEEP looking to have a good chance of building on his Musselburgh victory for his new stable despite the 10pb rise in the weights. Samtu who was 3rd in that race should finish closer this time but another place may well be the best that he can hope for. Quite a few of the others will need to build on what they showed last time and have been inconsistent in the past although Herecomesnelson is now off a mark that he ought to be able to cope with after wind surgery and Love At Dawn isn’t written off back at the scene of her best performance.