12:40 Newbury

Saturday 29 December 2018

All12:0512:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:35

Betway 'Introductory' Hurdle

Off time: 12:40 | Winning time: 4m 2.4s

Champagne Platinum²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: B J Geraghty| T: N J Henderson| D

1/1

£250,000 purchase after winning lone point-to-point began to start repaying that fee when a pretty comfortable winner on hurdles/stable debut at Newcastle four weeks ago. 5lb penalty for it but smart prospect could easily overcome that.

Form: 1-1

Champagne Mist^h1⁶⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Lee Edwards| T: A Ralph

100/1

Failed to complete in first two point-to-points but showed some ability in latest of them when fourth beaten 11½L by smart Willie Mullins horse Blackbow. Long absence since and hooded on rules bow so watching brief only.

Form: PF4/

Crossley Tender²⁰⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Nick Scholfield| T: P Henderson

100/1

Won one of his 10 point-to-points (ninth start). Not therefore an obvious sort on this his rules debut so best watched for evidence further down the line.

Form: 2P6-F13

Hawkerland¹⁵⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: J E Moore| T: N J Gifford| BF| D

40/1

73-rated dual flat winner from 1m3½f to 2m. Should have the ability to win races over timber but suspect this will be sharp enough for him and expect that he will be up in trip sooner rather than later.

Form:

Howling Milan²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Bryony Frost| T: S Drinkwater

25/1

Easy winner of second of two point-to-points but subsequently disqualified for prohibited substance. Outran 50/1 odds here on hurdles debut when eighth of 20 beaten 15½L. Should come on for that so place possibilities now.

Form: 2-D8

Light Gunner^t1⁷⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Mr Frederick Tett⁽³⁾| T: H Tett

200/1

Very ordinary 49-rated nine-race maiden on the flat was pulled-up two out on hurdles debut at Huntingdon at 100/1. Tongue-tie added but any completion here would be a result.

Form: P

Manvers House⁵²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: James Best| T: R Walford

16/1

Has a stamina-laden pedigree so it was a good first effort that saw him second in a Kempton bumper last March. Disappointing on hurdles bow at Chepstow last month when tailed off 12th of 16 so best watched now.

Form: 2-0

Megalodon²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: P J Brennan| T: P Henderson

100/1

Maiden of three point-to-points beaten 27L in a bumper before being tailed off here when 15th of 20 on hurdles bow. Can only be watched at present.

Form: P24-00

Percy's Word¹¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Bridget Andrews| T: D Skelton| D

16/1

Dual flat winner for Simon Crisford at up to 2m rated 91 on the level. Certainly has enough ability to make up into a smart hurdler and joined prolific yard whose newcomers always know the job so very much on the shortlist here.

Form:

Rahmah¹⁰

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

100/1

58-rated flat performer certainly the most experienced in that code having won two of 37 starts. Outran 250/1 odds on hurdles bow when 12th of 20 but was beaten 41L nevertheless so anything better than midfield unlikely.

Form: 0

Reverend Jacobs¹⁰⁶

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

4/1

Won three useful 1m4f contests for William Haggas attaining a rating of 91. Joined top yard with excellent record with novice hurdlers including first time out so certainly looks a likely sort and expecting a bold bid here.

Form:

The Tartan Spartan⁵⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: D A Jacob| T: Andrew Hughes

25/1

1m6f Listed winner last year rated 95 on the flat (peak 102). Certainly has the best flat form around despite 2018 form falling a little short so has to be considered here on first start for the yard.

Form:

The Wolf²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: G Sheehan| T: W Greatrex

9/1

Promise shown in three starts so far with fourth and third in bumpers followed by a midfield start over hurdles despite hanging left and making errors. Plenty of improvement possible but one for further down the line.

Form: 437

Twin Star¹⁰⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: R Johnson| T: Noel Williams

7/1

Smart dual flat winner rated 95 in that code having won final start over 1m5½f. Smart prospect for hurdles with that in mind so very much on the shortlist here with champion jockey booking a signal of intent.

Form:

Western Duke¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: R T Dunne| T: Ian Williams

33/1

Dual flat winner at up to 1m3f rated 83 on the level (peak 91). Failed to win in 2018 but largely competitive and should go well on hurdles debut for yard in fine form.

Form:

Lady Natasha¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: J M Quinlan| T: James Grassick

200/1

42-rated flat maiden of 16 was tailed off on hurdles bow and it will be a great surprise if that's not the case here also.

Form: 0

Forecasts

Champagne Platinum (1/1), Reverend Jacobs (4/1), Twin Star (7/1), The Wolf (9/1), Percy's Word (16/1), Manvers House (16/1), Howling Milan (25/1), The Tartan Spartan (25/1), Western Duke (33/1), Hawkerland (40/1), Champagne Mist (100/1), Megalodon (100/1), Rahmah (100/1), Crossley Tender (100/1), Light Gunner (200/1), Lady Natasha (200/1)

A whole host of smart recruits from the flat feature here so the likelihood is this takes plenty of winning but impressive Newcastle scorer CHAMPAGNE PLATINUM for Nicky Henderson can pass this tough test despite a penalty with the expectation that he becomes a Graded performer further down the line. Of those flat recruits the most appealing are Reverend Jacobs and Percy's Word having both joined connections prolific in such contests but they are far from the only newcomers on the shortlist.