15:00 Newcastle

Tuesday 5 March 2019

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

Border Minstrel Pub Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:01 | Winning time: 4m 6.80s

Deepsand^t⁵⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 12-3| J: Thomas Willmott⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 112| D

33/1

Capable performer on his day but has seen very little competitive action since early 2017; 2lb lower than for his comeback run at Ayr (2m, good to soft) in January; any further rainfall would suit.

Form: 41F4/3-6

Snookered¹⁰⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 12-3| J: Danny McMenamin⁽⁷⁾| T: B Ellison| OR: 112

8/1

Three-time Flat winner (1m-1m3f); kept on from the second last but no match for the winner Kajaki at Sedgefield (2m1f maiden) in October; outclassed at Cheltenham since and this looks far more realistic.

Form: 3-20

The Crazed Moon³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 12-3| J: Mr Jason Dixon⁽⁷⁾| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 112| D

3/1

Has blossomed over timber since teaming up with 7lb claimer Jason Dixon. Seeks the four-timer following soft/heavy ground wins at Bangor and Uttoxeter (x2); 7lb above her last winning mark; stable flying.

Form: 5-55111

Promise Of Peace^p1,t⁹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 107| BF

22/1

German Flat winner; twice placed in four starts over hurdles for Donald McCain, including on handicap debut when a 7L runner-up to Canny Style at Sedgefield (2m1f, good to soft) in November; off since.

Form: 5352

Beyondtemptation^h,t¹²

Age: 11| Weight: 11-12| J: Thomas Dowson⁽³⁾| T: J C Haynes| OR: 107| CD

6/1

A 14-time career winner and a flag-bearer for Jonathan Haynes; rediscovered her spark when left unhindered on the front-end at Sedgefield (2m1f, good) 12-days ago; has a 9lb higher mark to contend with.

Form: 3-0P351

Lucky Lucarno²⁴⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 106

16/1

Half-brother to the 2m hurdle winner Silent Sun; offered something to work with for the future when upped in trip at Cartmel (2m6f maiden) in June 2018. However, absent since so might just need this run; handicap debut.

Form: B46-44

Tim Rocco^h,t⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Ross Turner⁽⁷⁾| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 106

11/8

Prolific German Flat winner (up to 1m2f); has taken time to acclimatise on these shores (and over hurdles), but ran well here when third to a subsequent winner in January; carries no penalty for Friday's Doncaster (2m, good) success.

Form: 070341

Captain Clayton⁶⁶³

Age: 12| Weight: 11-7| J: J Kington| T: S G West| OR: 102

66/1

Very-lightly raced for his age, albeit a capable performer when fully fit; just touched off by Rhymers Stone at this track (2m4f+, soft) in January 2017; making his first competitive start for 663-days.

Form: 15952/3-

Wild Sam²¹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: C O'Farrell| T: I Jardine| OR: 101

11/1

14-race ex-Irish maiden (formerly with Stephen Ryan); regularly placed over this trip on soft ground, so could potentially find a small race somewhere for his new handler; watching brief on first run since August 2018.

Form: 233-600

Northandsouth¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽⁵⁾| T: Sara Ender| OR: 97| D

50/1

A three-time hurdles winner for previous connections (Sam Drinkwater and Nigel Twiston-Davies); picked up cheaply (£1,800) from Aytach Sadik in November 2018 and plenty to prove at present.

Form: 172P79

Newstart^p⁵³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: S Mulqueen⁽³⁾| T: K Scott| OR: 93| DWS

25/1

Bought for £8,000 after winning a good-ground Hexham seller in May 2018 (for Brian Ellison); has slipped down the weights to a very competitive looking handicap mark; worthy of a degree of respect assuming that recent wind surgery is productive.

Form: 409467

Forecasts

Tim Rocco (11/8), The Crazed Moon (3/1), Beyondtemptation (6/1), Snookered (8/1), Wild Sam (11/1), Lucky Lucarno (16/1), Promise Of Peace (22/1), Newstart (25/1), Deepsand (33/1), Northandsouth (50/1), Captain Clayton (66/1)

One of the most competitive races on today's Newcastle card with valid reasons for staking a claim for many of those declared. An obvious starting point is the four-timer seeking The Crazed Moon who has proved a revelation since teaming up with the 7lb claimer Jason Dixon. She has conditions in her favour and with the Henry Oliver-yard in fine form should go close. Others worthy of a mention are Friday's Doncaster winner Tim Rocco and the relatively unexposed Snookered. However, we'll take each-way aim at a potentially well handicapped horse; NEWSTART. The hope is that recent wind surgery can help to revive the fortunes of this three-time hurdles scorer.