15:25 Newbury

Friday 22 March 2019

All13:4514:2014:5015:2516:0016:3017:0517:35

Irwin Mitchell Private Wealth Handicap Hurdle (Div 2)

Off time: 15:25 | Winning time: 6m 16.45s

Travertine¹⁰⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.⁽⁵⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 115| D

14/1

Stays well, but struggling to make a major impact over fences of late, and reverts to hurdles with a bit to prove. Others more compelling.

Form: 353443

Court Master⁷⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Brendan Powell| T: M Scudamore| OR: 115| D

11/1

Won a point-to-point before making a fair impression in first three starts under Rules. Disappointed on handicap debut at Lingfield, however, and needs to improve to win off this mark.

Form: 12-430

Poperinghe Ginger³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Kielan Woods| T: D Killahena & G McPherson| OR: 114| BF

12/1

Placed in a bumper on good ground at Aintree in October and highly tried on next two starts. Good second over 2m4¼f at Huntingdon in January before filling same spot in muddling race at Musselburgh. Open to improvement now handicapping up in trip.

Form: 4-37622

Rightdownthemiddle^t²¹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-11| J: M Hamill⁽³⁾| T: S Curran| OR: 114| D

100/1

Won a seller at Leicester in December for Gordon Elliott, but this veteran has struggled since, and makes no great appeal here.

Form: 001870

Perfect Pirate^b⁶⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: C Brace⁽⁷⁾| T: B Pauling| OR: 114

8/1

2m4f chase and 2m5f hurdle winner showed he can handle a test of stamina when fourth under front-running tactics over 3m2f at Warwick in December. Excuses (lost shoe) since, and not without a chance if back to his best.

Form: 40-0P45

Ossie's Dancer^h1⁶⁷⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: Paul O'Brien⁽³⁾| T: N B King| OR: 113

33/1

Runner-up on both starts early last season for Martin Smith, but returns from a lengthy absence for a new yard, and the fitting of a hood is another unknown.

Form: P754/22-

Ballyart⁶⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 113| D

9/2

Best effort to date when runner-up in a Chepstow novice in December, but harshly treated on bare form, and has struggled to make much of an impact in two handicap starts more recently.

Form: 1-45275

Eva's Oskar²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: David Noonan| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 109

10/1

Form is rather patchy, but he improved markedly when 5L second of 12 to Ey Up Rocky on handicap debut over 2m4¼f here last time. Claims if he can build on that, and unexposed as a stayer.

Form: 7-7382

Mr Fenton⁵³³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Adam Wedge| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 108

25/1

Remains a maiden and was ultimately well beaten on his return to action at Huntingdon in October. Shaped much better than the result there, but another absence is a cause for concern.

Form: 052/278-

Goodnitesweetheart³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: N D Fehily| T: H Fry| OR: 107| D

3/1

Point winner who has improved markedly for the step up in trip over hurdles, winning two of three handicap starts, the latest over 3m at Taunton. Nothing to spare there, but runner-up has won since, and one to bear in mind.

Form: 4701/61

Vango De Vaige¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 106

11/1

Won handicap hurdle over 2m7f at Exeter in November, but well beaten twice since, and balance of his form gives him a bit to find, even if bouncing back.

Form: 6P-315P

Soarlikeaneagle²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: A Glassonbury| T: R Rowe| OR: 100| D

50/1

Ran quite well when fourth on Rules debut, but soundly beaten in three subsequent starts, and facing a very stiff task on handicap bow.

Form: 3-140P9

Cracker Jak²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: M G Nolan| T: Miss S Smith| OR: 94

6/1

Little impact on early starts, but has improved for switch to handicaps, making the frame on both such starts at around 2m5f. Should stay 3m, and not taken lightly.

Form: 506932

Forecasts

Goodnitesweetheart (3/1), Ballyart (9/2), Cracker Jak (6/1), Perfect Pirate (8/1), Eva's Oskar (10/1), Vango De Vaige (11/1), Court Master (11/1), Poperinghe Ginger (12/1), Travertine (14/1), Mr Fenton (25/1), Ossie's Dancer (33/1), Soarlikeaneagle (50/1), Rightdownthemiddle (100/1)

GOODNITESWEETHEART just scraped home at Taunton, but the runner-up has won since, and she could easily improve further herself, so gets the nod in the weaker of the two divisions of this race. Poperinghe Ginger and Eva's Oskar are the most obvious pair to spoil the party, unexposed as they are granted this sort of test.