13:05 Newbury

Wednesday 19 December 2018

All12:3013:0513:4014:1514:4515:1515:45

Equine Productions Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 13:05 | Winning time: 4m 10.25s

Age Of Wisdom²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| D

125/1

Capable Flat performer who has not been able to translate that ability to hurdling in two attempts. Best watched until showing more aptitude for the game.

Form: 7-0

Beaufort West¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard

14/1

Encouraging debut over hurdles when defying odds of 50-1 to finish a 3L fourth of 20 over C&D. Should come on for the experience and has to be considered.

Form: 2-94

Bob Maxwell⁷²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: C Poste| T: R Dickin

250/1

Maiden after 12 starts on the Flat. Tries his hand at hurdling and needs to show significant improvement for the change in codes.

Form:

Brigade of Guards¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King

50/1

Second run over timber when behind Beaufort West over C&D. Needs to take a step forward if he is to get involved.

Form: 59-37

Captain Marmalade⁶²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Thomas Garner| T: J C Fox

250/1

Winner of two of his 31 races on the Flat and makes a somewhat belated hurdling debut. One to watch unless the market speaks in his favour.

Form:

Continuum¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Brendan Powell| T: P Hedger

100/1

Very experienced on the Flat, winning four times. Tailed off on hurdling debut at this track and needs to show significant improvement.

Form: 9

Dashel Drasher¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Matt Griffiths| T: J Scott| OR: 136

15/8

Had Beaufort West and Brigade Of Guards behind when finishing a good third at this track on the second of his two hurdling starts. Going the right way and enters calculations.

Form: 106-33

Flight Deck⁵⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill

66/1

Fair effort when finishing in mid-division on debut in a Bangor novices' hurdle. Should do better, but leading owner looks to have stronger contenders.

Form: 6

Gameface²³⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: N D Fehily| T: H Fry

14/1

Placed in two Irish points and has been snapped up by current connections for £145,000. Hurdling/stable debut, but Barry Geraghty prefers to ride the owner's Rathhill.

Form: 3-2

Iconic Muddle¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Joshua Moore| T: G & J Moore

125/1

Half-brother to four jumps winners who needed his debut outing at this track last month. Looks one for further down the line.

Form: 0

Lochinver^h¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: J J Burke| T: C E Longsdon| D

250/1

Winning pointer who has shown little in two starts over hurdles. Best watched until showing more.

Form: 1-409

Nordic Combined²²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe

6/1

Promising hurdling debut at this track before finishing second of 18 at Lingfield. Seems to have translated his Flat ability to jumping and is one to consider.

Form: 52

Outofthequestion¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| C

125/1

Dual winner on the Flat who has been beaten a long way on both starts over hurdles. Early days jumping-wise, but clearly needs to up his game.

Form: 74

Pistol Whipped⁶⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson

8/1

Runner-up in a point-to-point in October after which he was bought for £110,000 by current connections. Has a good jumping pedigree and represents the champion trainer who won this contest last year.

Form: S2

Rahmah¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: M D Grant| T: G Deacon

250/1

Only limited ability on the Flat, but is quite consistent and tries his luck at hurdling. Others make more appeal.

Form:

Rathhill⁴⁰³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: B J Geraghty| T: N J Henderson

7/2

Getaway gelding from the family of the smart Bellshill. Runner-up on his only start in a point-to-point and interesting that leading owner's retained jockey prefers him to two others which carry his colours.

Form: 2-

Umndeni⁶⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| D

6/1

Bumper winner whose jumping was novicey behind a useful sort on his hurdling debut at Chepstow. Should improve for that run and is one to note in the betting for leading connections.

Form: 1-4

Vards^h²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Jack Barber

50/1

Dual point-to-point winner who was a 12L second of 12 on his hurdling bow at Chepstow. Entitled to improve for that run and could make his presence felt.

Form: 121/2

Born To Please²²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: James Davies| T: M D I Usher

250/1

Dual Flat winner who was well behind Nordic Combined on her jumping debut at Lingfield. Needs to show plenty more in a better race.

Form: 0

So Lonely¹¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton

25/1

Clear signs of ability in bumpers and a hurdle when trained by Charles O'Brien in Ireland. Starts out for a stable going places and is one to note in the betting.

Form: 20-2223

Non-Runners

Dreyfus⁹⁵⁵

Weight: 11-0| Age: 7

T: P R Webber J: G Sheehan

Tegerek²²

Weight: 11-0| Age: 4

T: J & A O'Neill J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Dashel Drasher (15/8), Rathhill (7/2), Nordic Combined (6/1), Umndeni (6/1), Pistol Whipped (8/1), Beaufort West (14/1), Gameface (14/1), Tegerek (20/1), So Lonely (25/1), Dreyfus (33/1), Brigade of Guards (50/1), Vards (50/1), Flight Deck (66/1), Continuum (100/1), Iconic Muddle (125/1), Outofthequestion (125/1), Age Of Wisdom (125/1), Rahmah (250/1), Born To Please (250/1), Lochinver (250/1), Bob Maxwell (250/1), Captain Marmalade (250/1)

Lots of runners and that means plenty of guesswork involved. The champion trainer saddles two likely sorts in Pistol Whipped and Rathhill and the betting is likely to be the best guide to their respective chances. Either could be good enough, but they have to concede racecourse experience to a couple of promising sorts in Nordic Combined and UMNDENI, with the latter given a narrow vote in the expectation of improvement in the jumping department after a fair debut at Chepstow. Dashel Drasher and Beaufort West are closely matched on recent course form and can also make their presence felt, along with Irish imports So Lonely and Gameface.