13:30 Newbury

Saturday 2 March 2019

All13:3014:0514:4015:1015:4516:1516:50

Peter O'Sullevan Charitable Trust H.O.P.E Programme Seniors' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:32 | Winning time: 5m 4.63s

A Hare Breath^p1⁷⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 12-0| J: N de Boinville| T: B Pauling| OR: 132| D

7/1

Won a good Sandown handicap first time out last season but on the whole disappointing in two runs this season. Last behind well-handicapped Al Dancer when last seen in December. Can go well fresh but plenty of risks attached.

Form: 0/188-59

Tapaculo¹¹⁴⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 130| BF

9/2

Won first two hurdle contest at Chepstow over 2m3½f on testing ground. Narrowly touched off latest upped to 3m½f at Kempton. First handicap start but looks a fast improving novice so merits plenty of respect.

Form: 3112/

Space Oddity^h¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Kieron Edgar⁽³⁾| T: H Fry| OR: 129

40/1

A fall and an unseating prompted a return to hurdles latest but he made little impression when a 28L ninth at Taunton. Still higher than career high hurdles win and not in the form required to overcome that.

Form: 54-4FU9

First Drift³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Max Kendrick⁽⁵⁾| T: B I Case| OR: 128

25/1

Returns to hurdling from a spell chasing which yielded one success. Errors crept in more recently prompting this switch but was quite smart as a novice last season and never tackled a handicap. Certainly one of the more intriguing contenders.

Form: 12-P127

Fortunate George^v⁶⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: J J Burke| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 127| D

17/2

Three-time hurdle winner won twice last season but this term been beaten 24L, 49L and 38L in three starts to date. Handicap fallen to workable mark but hard to be confident at present.

Form: 310-077

Private Malone^v⁸⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: N D Fehily| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 125| D

14/1

Interesting sort who returns from fences, where he's 0-14 to hurdles, where he's 3-3 for the first time since January 2015. Exactly same mark as last of those three wins and unseated early in lone start this season. Very interesting contender.

Form: 54226-U

Nesterenko³²¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-6| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 124

25/1

Not won since 2016 but best effort since and for this yard when a sound third at Plumpton off today's handicap mark late last season. First run of the campaign here and on the balance others more appealing.

Form: 144P/73-

Betameche³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 124

9/4

Dual bumper winner in 2016 missed 973 days before returning this season with steadily improved efforts over hurdles culminating in comfortable maiden success at Uttoxeter latest. Looks the sort with plenty more to give now and leading claims.

Form: 11/021

Bally Longford¹⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 11-4| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 122| C

8/1

Struggled to make major impression over fences this term in five starts with mark for win late last season taking it's toll. Returns to hurdling for first time since 2015 when trained by Henry De Bromhead here. May find this trip sharp enough.

Form: 1-42524

Hallings Comet²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-3| J: M Goldstein| T: S Lycett| OR: 121

40/1

Worcester specialist (won all seven jumps races there) returned from over a year off latest when a remote 11th of 12 on the flat at Lingfield. Strip fitter now and hurdles preferred but others boast stronger claims.

Form: 211142-

Ritual Of Senses^b1⁴⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: W Greatrex| OR: 121

11/1

Dual hurdle winner in 2016 far from disgraced on return from 757 day absence when seventh of 10 at Warwick beaten 9¾L over 3m1f. Plenty keen enough there so drop in trip may help and boasts leading claims now especially with blinkers added.

Form: 11346/7

Hit The Highway^p,t⁷¹

Age: 10| Weight: 10-8| J: Tom Cannon| T: C Gordon| OR: 112| D

12/1

Over three years since last win and beaten 27L in each of his two starts this term. Handicap continues to fall but makes little appeal here.

Form: P032-90

Forecasts

Betameche (9/4), Tapaculo (9/2), A Hare Breath (7/1), Bally Longford (8/1), Fortunate George (17/2), Ritual Of Senses (11/1), Hit The Highway (12/1), Private Malone (14/1), First Drift (25/1), Nesterenko (25/1), Space Oddity (40/1), Hallings Comet (40/1)

Such are the terms of this race the majority are either exposed or in decline. Therefore the three lightly raced potential improvers make plenty of appeal. BETAMECHE gets the vote after an impressive win latest hinting that he can make up for lost time having missed nearly three years after his smart bumper win in 2016. Tapaculo almost made it three-from-three over hurdles latest and he too has leading claims although this will be the fastest ground he has encountered barring plenty of rain. Ritual Of Senses was smart in 2016 and far from disgraced on return at Warwick; surely he can improve plenty on that.