14:00 Newcastle

Tuesday 5 March 2019

All14:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:30

Watch Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Novices' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:00 | Winning time: 5m 9.2s

Porto Du Sud^h,t1¹¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽⁵⁾| T: R Menzies| OR: 100WS

12/1

Has found life tough since introduced to handicapping with his best run coming in novice company at Sedgefield (2m1f, good to soft) in November 2017; back from a short break having undergone wind surgery; wears a tongue-tie.

Form: 62-7F60

Braddan Head^t¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Sean Quinlan| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer| OR: 99

100/1

Well beaten on both starts for this trainer having joined the yard for a mere £800 in December 2018 (formerly with Charlie Longsdon); impossible to enthuse over.

Form: 755-P45

Skyhill^t³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: Mrs A C Hamilton| OR: 99

33/1

Maiden after 12 starts (eight of those runs came in PTP's); never better than midfield and ultimately weakened to finish 11th of 13 on handicap debut over 3m here (soft) last month; considerably more required.

Form: 2-2P350

Warendorf⁸³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Sam Coltherd⁽³⁾| T: W Coltherd| OR: 99

6/1

Disqualified after winning a 3m Belclare PTP (prohibitive substance in sample); out of his depth in three starts in novice company (all over 2m4f at Hexham); could fare better in handicaps, albeit an opening mark of 99 appears harsh.

Form: P/D-355

Oriental Cross^t1⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Alan Johns| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 99WS

5/1

Demonstrated ability in bumpers, including when runner-up on Tapeta on her previous visit to Newcastle (Feb 2018); plugged on to finish a modest fourth at Fontwell (2m2f) in January; wind surgery/tongue-tied ahead of handicap debut.

Form: 912-034

Wor Verge^t¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: James Corbett⁽⁵⁾| T: S Corbett| OR: 98

28/1

Now 0-8 over hurdles and has gradually regressed since finishing 13L third to Canny Style at Sedgefield (2m1f, good to soft) in November; totally unproven over this trip; look elsewhere.

Form: 793P09

Dulce Panem^p⁶⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Aaron Anderson⁽⁷⁾| T: R Menzies| OR: 97

12/1

A 30-race maiden (0-21 over hurdles); 2lb higher than when a nearest at the finish third to Flowery at Sedgefield (2m4f, soft) on Boxing Day; the recent rain will aid his cause; stablemate of Porto Du Sud.

Form: B-09F43

Arctic Road^p1,t²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Ross Turner⁽⁷⁾| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 95| D

11/4

Cost £28,000 out of the Irish PTP scene; his initial progress over hurdles was been slow, but he grasped the nettle with a solid staying effort at Ayr (2m5f+, soft) latest; holds every chance off a 5lb higher mark; wears cheekpieces.

Form: 2-90861

Mah Mate Bob^h1⁵⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley| OR: 94

17/2

Has fallen 10lb in the weights since making his handicap debut at Catterick (3m1f+, good) in November; ran a fair race in defeat at this track (2m6f) in early January; couldn't be totally discounted if the hood helps him to settle better.

Form: 69-5844

Capmonfor^p1⁸¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 93

20/1

Placed in an Irish PTP (3m) in May 2018 but hasn't shown much ability under rules (well beaten by a stablemate latest); the switch to handicapping, a step up in trip and the introduction of cheekpieces are all viewed as potential positives.

Form: 4-37870

St George's Oval^p1,t¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr Aiden Blakemore⁽⁷⁾| T: L Egerton| OR: 93

12/1

12-race maiden; headed when falling three out in the race won by Arctic Road (at Ayr) on his penultimate start; cheekpieces are now applied; wouldn't rate as an obvious winner in waiting.

Form: 0554F7

Seapoint⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Miss Becky Smith⁽³⁾| T: Miss J E Foster| OR: 93

40/1

23-race maiden (0-8 over hurdles); left Shark Hanlon for £2,500 in January and starts off a new life this side of the Irish Sea with a significant upturn in fortunes required in order to prove competitive.

Form: 690000

Stornaway¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Ross Chapman| T: R Ross| OR: 91

66/1

Has done the bulk of his racing in PTP's (0-14) and switches to handicapping for the first time having started at odds of 400/1 at Kelso on his penultimate start; holds very little chance.

Form: P5-4956

Wishing Well⁶⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 87

16/1

Twice a winner on the Flat from 31 starts; hasn't shown any aptitude for hurdling in a variety of spells over obstacles; unlikely to play a part in this contest.

Form: 45/90P0

Valkenburg^p⁴⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: C R King| T: H Bethell| OR: 96

12/1

Became disappointing for Keith Dalgleish after winning on the Flat at Catterick (1m4f) in October 2018; sold for £5,500 in January, so possible that a change of scenery will freshen him up (is very much needed); risky.

Form: 30663

Casimir Du Clos⁸²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Danny Cook| T: W Coltherd| OR: 85

8/1

Well beaten on handicap debut over C&D in December (finished seventh of 11 to Gold Chain); still lightly-raced after making just four starts under rules, although appears to be equally light on ability; stablemate of Warendorf.

Form: P/5-757

Forecasts

Arctic Road (11/4), Oriental Cross (5/1), Warendorf (6/1), Casimir Du Clos (8/1), Mah Mate Bob (17/2), Dulce Panem (12/1), St George's Oval (12/1), Porto Du Sud (12/1), Valkenburg (12/1), Wishing Well (16/1), Capmonfor (20/1), Wor Verge (28/1), Skyhill (33/1), Seapoint (40/1), Stornaway (66/1), Braddan Head (100/1)

A low-grade contest which has attracted a sizeable turnout with 16-runners declared. However, finding a selection isn't the easiest of tasks with the vast majority in the line-up appearing to be very limited in terms of natural ability. Various bits and bobs of newly-applied equipment are fitted with connections hoping for an upturn in fortunes for their respective runners, but in reality the only progressive horse in the field is the Ayr winner ARCTIC ROAD. Furthermore, a total of 11mm of rain Sunday into Monday can only aid his cause over this slightly shorter trip. A reasonably solid each-way alternative is the George Bewley-trained Mah Mate Bob.