13:45 Newcastle

Thursday 13 December 2018

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

Bet & Watch At 188bet.co.uk Novices' Chase

Off time: 13:48 | Winning time: 4m 6.0s

Hawk High^p²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: W T Kennedy| T: T D Easterby| OR: 133| D

7/1

Very decent hurdler on his day a few years ago and was winning his first race since those days in a match on his 2nd chase start recently beating Ravenhill Road. Now has to concede weight to that rival but remains with potential over fences.

Form: 3088/31

Stowaway Magic^p,t⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 138| D

2/1

Useful hurdler when with Nicky Henderson who has returned to fences recently (had two efforts over them before) and scored a simple victory for this yard last time. That win told us very little other than he remains with potential; more to come.

Form: 2480-21

Cool Mix^h³³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Sean Quinlan| T: I Jardine| OR: 128| BF| D

6/1

May not quite have the latent potential of some of these but this dual winning hurdler has made a solid start to his fencing career with two runner up efforts. Ran creditably in a handicap last time (higher mark than over hurdles); will win a chase.

Form: 2151-22

Ravenhill Road^t²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Danny Cook| T: B Ellison| OR: 131| BF

9/2

Useful bumper/hurdles winner who made a good start to life over fences having been lightly-raced of late. Looked to be jumping/going better than his sole rival (Hawk High) recently at Wetherby but was outspeeded; could reverse that form here.

Form: 11/13P-2

Reivers Lad⁶¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: R D Day| T: N G Richards| OR: 125| CD

11/2

Bumper winner who went on to prove his worth over hurdles winning three out of his five starts (all wins in testing conditions). Found the ground and company too good when last seen but looks a chaser in the making; may just need this.

Form: 34111P/

Rhymers Stone^p²³⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-13| J: Callum Bewley| T: Mrs H O Graham| OR: 115| CD

40/1

Decent over hurdles in handicaps he's been ticking over and no more of late in that discipline and he now tries chasing for the first time. Rather pitched in at the deep end here (would struggle against some of these over hurdles); other appeal more.

Form: 12/1745-

Shepherd Storm¹⁴³⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: Henry Brooke| T: C Grant

250/1

Off the track and inordinately long time having only run in a couple of bumpers for his owner when he was training. Still in the same ownership but now with a different yard but given a very stiff first chasing task.

Form: 95/

Uncle Bobby¹⁹²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: C R King| T: M & D Easterby

250/1

Can hardly be expected to show much given the amount of time he's been off and having never run over jumps before. Faces an uphill task returning to the track and would be a major surprise to see him involved let alone win.

Form:

The Vocalist³¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: B S Hughes| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 125| BF

13/2

Bumper winner who also scored and was placed over hurdles for Nicky Henderson; now makes her stable/chase debut having been beaten at long odds-on when last seen. She remains with potential and looks another interesting contender in a decent contest.

Form: 21/212-

Forecasts

Stowaway Magic (2/1), Ravenhill Road (9/2), Reivers Lad (11/2), Cool Mix (6/1), The Vocalist (13/2), Hawk High (7/1), Rhymers Stone (40/1), Uncle Bobby (250/1), Shepherd Storm (250/1)

Plenty of interest in this novices’ chase which has attracted several that have potential to show more than they already have over fences. Ravenhill Road and Hawk High clash again after they met in a match at Wetherby last time and the former is fancied to gain his revenge this time around. Overall though it’s STOWAWAY MAGIC who grasps the vote this time around even though he’s yet to be tested this time around over fences. Both Cool Mix and Reivers Lad look the type to develop into good Northern handicappers with The Vocalist far from out of this.