14:00 Newcastle

Saturday 5 January 2019

All11:5512:2512:5513:3014:0014:3515:10

Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:02 | Winning time: 5m 37.4s

Call The Cops^p²⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: R P McLernon| T: B Haslam| OR: 100

6/1

Falling rapidly in the weights, hence his eligibility for this race, but with his best days seemingly well behind him; albeit it should be noted that last month's Sedgefield outing was his first racecourse appearance for 15 months.

Form: 9/4578-7

Dark And Dangerous^v¹⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 11-9| J: Amie Waugh⁽⁷⁾| T: S Waugh| OR: 97

20/1

Goes particularly well at Sedgefield - is a four-time winner there over 2m1f; nowhere near his sharpest of late (including on Boxing Day); surely vulnerable over this longer trip.

Form: 56249-6

Mah Mate Bob²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley| OR: 97

10/1

Beaten 26L (fourth) on his second start in handicap company at Hexham (2m4f, soft) last month, but as a half-brother to the enigmatic 2m3f-2m7f hurdle winner Shantou Bob could well be suited by this longer trip/galloping track.

Form: 769-584

Pinspot^t²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Blair Campbell⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 96

16/1

Difficult to draw all that many positives from his three starts in 2m novice/maiden contests but fairly notable that he steps up sharply in trip for his handicap debut; any market support could prove worth following.

Form: 45677

Schlipf⁵⁰⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Henry Brooke| T: D Bourke| OR: 94

50/1

Brother to the modest maiden hurdler Willie Whistle, this 6yo debuts for new trainer Daragh Bourke (formerly with Iain Jardine) off a reduced handicap mark following a 504 day absence.

Form: 243349-

Petite Ganache^p¹⁵⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: B S Hughes| T: N G Richards| OR: 93| BF

11/4

Most unfortunate not to score at Perth (3m, good) in July when in front and falling at the final flight; ran to a similar level of form when placed back there two months later; off since, yet respected in this grade.

Form: 0/7-3UF3

Cudgel¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: J Walton| OR: 83

25/1

Well beaten in both starts in handicap company (2m6f-2m7f+) last month; eased 5lb in the weights since; look elsewhere.

Form: 90705

Herecomesnelson²³

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: Callum Bewley| T: K Scott| OR: 74

7/2

Longstanding hurdles maiden (0-15); travelled smoothly into contention when finishing third over 2m4f here last month (good to soft) without quite ever threatening to sustain a winning challenge.

Form: 7-94343

Perseid⁴⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Sean Quinlan| T: B Butterworth| OR: 71

7/2

Produced arguably a slightly improved effort (post wind surgery) over 3m at Musselburgh in November. However, rates as most unrealistic in terms of win/place prospects from 3lb out of the handicap.

Form: 346807

Millrose Bell^p¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: C J Todd⁽⁷⁾| T: V Thompson| OR: 67

40/1

Tailed-off in first-time cheekpieces at Hexham (2m7f+, heavy) latest and now 0-12 over hurdles; holds no conceivable chance from 7lb out of the handicap; look elsewhere.

Form: 57-P4P9

Non-Runners

Silk Or Scarlet²⁷

Weight: 11-13| Age: 7

T: N W Alexander J: Lucy Alexander

Cully Mac⁴⁰

Weight: 10-0| Age: 8

T: A Wilson J: Danny McMenamin

Forecasts

Petite Ganache (11/4), Herecomesnelson (7/2), Perseid (7/2), Call The Cops (6/1), Mah Mate Bob (10/1), Silk Or Scarlet (12/1), Pinspot (16/1), Cully Mac (16/1), Dark And Dangerous (20/1), Cudgel (25/1), Millrose Bell (40/1), Schlipf (50/1)

No standout contender although plenty of the runners can probably be safely dismissed. Assuming that Petite Ganache is fit and ready to do himself justice off a 157 day absence he should be there or thereabouts in this company, whilst the upped in trip Pinspot should be monitored in the market exchanges on his handicap debut. However, a speculative shout is for the unexposed top-weight SILK OR SCARLET who ran well for a long way on his seasonal reappearance at Kelso, and remains feasibly handicapped for Nick Alexander with the Fife-based trainers string now in altogether better overall form.