13:50 Newbury

Saturday 29 December 2018

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

Betway Heed Your Hunch Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:50 | Winning time: 5m 8.66s

John Constable^t¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 144

66/1

Smart four-time hurdle winner now 12lb below peak rating and 8lb below last win after a slow start to his 2018 hurdle campaign (unplaced in four). Would have to see hints of a revival before recommending.

Form: 5306F0

I'm A Game Changer²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 138

13/2

In good, consistent form until not getting up the hill at Sandown on heavy ground last time out. Sounder surface and flatter track here both lend a hand as he now goes up in trip and expecting a bold bid.

Form: 19-2226

Knight In Dubai^t⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Bridget Andrews| T: D Skelton| OR: 135| D

16/1

Wetherby winner last season set some tough tasks after that but managed a Grade Two third. First time handicapping here after recent chase fall when going well and has time on his side to maintain progress so respected here.

Form: 51340-F

Coeur Blimey¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Lucy Gardner⁽³⁾| T: Mrs S Gardner| OR: 134

9/2

Fourth in the Betfair Hurdle last year took a big step up on uninspiring return latest when an impressive 7L winner at Hereford. Up 7lb for that so 2lb higher than Betfair now but fully expecting him to be competitive.

Form: 5647-01

Dragon D'Estruval²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-13| J: D A Jacob| T: N J Henderson| OR: 131| BF

5/2

Three-time chase winner earlier in career in France made a winning start for these connections over hurdles at Ffos Las in May where he never came off the bridle. Didn't seem to stay 3m on return but still suspect he's seriously well handicapped.

Form: 4718-17

Rainbow Dreamer²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-8| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: A King| OR: 126| C

11/1

Dual 2m1½f hurdle winner as a juvenile and subsequently won a decent 2m2f flat race before finishing fourth at Royal Ascot in 2017. First run since at Aintree latest saw him tire and finish seventh but entitled to come on plenty so interesting here.

Form: 31120/7

Subcontinent¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-4| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 122

5/1

No match for Coeur Blimey at Hereford when a 7L second but gets a 7lb pull with that rival here so certainly should be an awful lot closer although overall others are more appealing.

Form: 252-132

Unblinking³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Jordan Nailor⁽⁷⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 116| D

4/1

Excellent second of 23 in a Cheltenham handicap followed up by a 6L Warwick success latest, both over 2m5f on soft. Up 11lb here which is in effect 13lb from out of the handicap but 7lb claimer helps and likely still ahead of the handicapper.

Form: 06/62-21

Forecasts

Dragon D'Estruval (5/2), Unblinking (4/1), Coeur Blimey (9/2), Subcontinent (5/1), I'm A Game Changer (13/2), Rainbow Dreamer (11/1), Knight In Dubai (16/1), John Constable (66/1)

Nicky Henderson won this with a five-year-old last season and his DRAGON D'ESTRUVAL is given another chance here after travelling well here on return before not seeming to last the 3m trip. Unblinking is rated the biggest danger with Nigel Twiston-Davies horse looking a fast improver based on evidence this season and also to be respected is Coeur Blimey who was most impressive last time out.