15:45 Newbury

Saturday 2 March 2019

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

Awdry Bailey & Douglas Supporting Greatwood Novices' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:46 | Winning time: 4m 1.40s

Antunes⁶⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 122| D

4/1

Easy winner of Uttoxeter handicap in December but raised 14lb for that he could only finish midfield next in hotter contest at Leicester. Gets 3lb back here so may fare better now and one of very few with winning form.

Form: 23-015

Rock Steady⁶⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 120

33/1

Smart three-time flat winner but shown little so far over hurdles with an unseated followed by two remote sixths. Hard to believe he can't improve and yard always respected with first-time handicappers.

Form: U66

Dostal Phil^h¹⁰⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: B J Geraghty| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 120| BF

9/4

French bumper winner made favourite for all three races this side of the Channel over hurdles but yet to score with keenness a real issue. Only 10th latest at Cheltenham but still not prepared to rule him out.

Form: 1/4-20

Shanty Alley⁵⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Kielan Woods| T: B I Case| OR: 119| D

20/1

Huntingdon maiden winner latest, in his fourth career start. Runner-up there beaten when unseating next so not sure how strong that form is but could only beat what was in front of him.

Form: 7-471

Laughing Luis³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Ned Curtis⁽³⁾| T: N J Henderson| OR: 118| D

10/1

Dual bumper winner won a small field event at Leicester before struggling next at the same venue under a penalty. First time handicap may help now and respected given yard he hails from.

Form: 114715

Defi Sacre^t³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Paul O'Brien⁽³⁾| T: R Hobson| OR: 118WS

25/1

French chase winner made a pleasing start for this yard when third at Doncaster first time out. Made a whole host of jumping errors there subsequently when flopping. Had wind surgery since but jumping the main concern.

Form: 15-35

Precious Bounty⁵⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: T J O'Brien| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 117| BF

10/1

Twice finished second leading to being made an odds-on favourite latest in a Huntingdon maiden won by Shanty Alley. Faded there into disappointing fifth and now has a few questions to answer.

Form: 206225

Tegerek³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.⁽⁵⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 117

6/1

French flat winner shown fair level of ability so far over hurdles without success. Latest fifth at Uttoxeter showed limitations after a fair third previously. Open to improvement but it is needed here.

Form: 535

West Drive¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| OR: 114

33/1

Three-time flat winner won on hurdles debut before struggling since under penalty at Plumpton twice. This more realistic and expecting a better effort but still see others as more likely.

Form: 1P8

Megalodon^t1²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: P J Brennan| T: P Henderson| OR: 108

12/1

5L second at Uttoxeter penultimately hinted at ability for first time but subsequently beaten 32L into 10th of 12 on handicap debut at Market Rasen. Tongue-tie now tried but risky proposition overall.

Form: 4-00920

Ravenous¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: L A Dace| OR: 105

25/1

Five-time flat winner but never better than third in seven previous hurdle races, the most recent back in 2016. Interesting sort but would prefer him over 2m4f plus.

Form: 633P64/

Unsafe Conduct^h,t¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 104

14/1

Little to write home about since handicap win last May but has an experience edge on all of his rivals hurdles wise and having fallen to within 2lb of aforementioned win he should run a solid race.

Form: 5-16505

Manofthemoment³³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-6| J: C Gethings| T: T R George| OR: 100

16/1

Irish point winner showed very little so far under rules with latest distant fifth at Kempton a best run so far. Handicaps will help now especially here with little weight to shoulder and yard in great form.

Form: 17095

Forecasts

Dostal Phil (9/4), Antunes (4/1), Tegerek (6/1), Laughing Luis (10/1), Precious Bounty (10/1), Megalodon (12/1), Unsafe Conduct (14/1), Manofthemoment (16/1), Shanty Alley (20/1), Defi Sacre (25/1), Ravenous (25/1), West Drive (33/1), Rock Steady (33/1)

A fiendishly difficult race this with compelling evidence hard to find. DOSTAL PHIL has disappointed so far but there is almost certainly ability yet un-shown if only he will settle better. After a break it's hoped that issue can now be addressed. Rock Steady is rated 94 on the flat so should be a whole lot better than we've seen so far and he is of interest now sent handicapping. Leicester winner Laughing Luis is another of the more likely sorts.