17:45 Newcastle

Tuesday 8 January 2019

All15:4016:1016:4517:1517:4518:1518:4519:15

Ladbrokes Novice Stakes (Plus 10)

Off time: 17:46 | Winning time: 1m 42.35s

(2)

Set Piece²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: L Morris| T: H Palmer| D

1/1

Dansili colt, brother to a juvenile 7f winner and half-brother to three more winners around this trip. Dam a 7f winner. Very impressive on debut when well backed, still a shade green early and expected to be hard to beat in follow up bid here.

Form: 1-

(1)

Sparkle In His Eye

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: J Fanning| T: W J Haggas

9/2

Sea The Stars colt, closely related to a Listed winner and dam an AW winner who was a half-sister to Group 1 winner and the dam of Golden Horn. Fascinating contender on debut for a yard that have had three winners from their last five runners.

Form:

(4)

Will of Iron

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: R Havlin| T: J & T Gosden

3/1

Invincible Spirit colt, half-brother to a juvenile winner and dam closely related to a Group 3 winning stayer. Looks a suitable test on debut and yard have sent some smart sorts up here in recent year; market likely to reveal expectations.

Form:

(6)

Initial Approach

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: Ben Robinson⁽³⁾| T: A D Brown

250/1

Dawn Approach filly, cost £4,000 as a yearling. Half-sister to two winners over similar trips, dam a 7f winner. Suitable test for her debut but tough ask against some well bred sorts and others with experience.

Form:

(7)

Lilligram²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: J Mitchell| T: R Varian

6/1

Leroidesanimaux filly, half-sister to four winners and dam a 1m2f AW winner. Shaped with promise on debut over this trip and should improve, though likely to need to.

Form: 4-

(3)

Sils Maria⁶⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: F Norton| T: Mrs A Duffield

100/1

Swiss Spirit filly, cost 10,000 gns as a foal and £20,000 as a yearling. Dam a a half-sister to a 2m Group 3 winner. Ran okay on debut here, albeit 11L behind the winner. Will appreciate the step up in trip but may be more of a long term prospect.

Form: 3-

(5)

Social Network⁴¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: P J McDonald| T: J Tate

33/1

Australia filly, cost €100,000 as a yearling. Related to a winner over this trip. Well beaten on debut at Wolverhampton and while she's well bred, she may need more time and distance to be seen at her best.

Form: 9-

Forecasts

Set Piece (1/1), Will of Iron (3/1), Sparkle In His Eye (9/2), Lilligram (6/1), Social Network (33/1), Sils Maria (100/1), Initial Approach (250/1)

Quite a possibly a novice event worth following this season with several well bred runners, most notably newcomers Sparkle In His Eye and Will Of Iron. However, preference this time is for SET PIECE who carries a penalty for an impressive Kempton success on debut. Lilligram shaped with some promise on her debut and wouldn't be one to entirely rule out.