13:30 Newcastle

Saturday 30 November 2019

All11:4512:2012:5513:3014:0514:4015:20

Avison Young Chase (Novices' Limited Handicap)

Off time: 13:32 | Winning time: 6m 31.90s

Jammy George²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: G Sheehan| T: H Whittington| OR: 129| C

5/1

Easy winner over hurdles here (2m6f, good to soft) in March, although is possibly flattered by that bare form - the odds-on favourite flopped; stayed on past beaten horses over 2m3f on chasing debut at Ascot (fifth to Doctor Dex).

Form: 4/2441-5

Slanelough^h²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: C O'Farrell| T: R Dobbin| OR: 129

6/1

Capable hurdler with a mixed record over fences (form figures of UFU are off-putting); kept on in vain pursuit of the emphatic winner Well Above Par at Kelso (2m5½f, heavy) three weeks ago; tackles a new trip.

Form: 45UF-U2

Murphy's Law³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Craig Nichol| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 127| D

10/1

On a sharp upward curve since winning over hurdles at Bangor (2m7f, good) in August, successfully mixing chasing with hurdling; game winner of a CJ's handicap hurdle at Kelso (2m5f) latest; 5lb higher reverting to the larger obstacles.

Form: 215131

Sam's Adventure^p²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Henry Brooke| T: B Ellison| OR: 122| C

7/2

Effective in testing conditions; possessed a degree of ability over hurdles (& in bumpers), landing the odds with ears pricked here (2m6f) in March; beaten 4L (fourth) by Two For Gold on chasing debut at Carlisle (2m4f, soft) - holds Hill Sixteen.

Form: R2415-4

Lord Du Mesnil^p,t¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Paul O'Brien⁽³⁾| T: R Hobson| OR: 122

7/1

Maiden (0-23); narrowly beaten (third) by Ask Ben in the French Furze Novices' Hurdle on this card in 2018; 2lb higher than when finishing second to La Cavsa Nostra at Sedgefield (3m2½f, soft) 16 days ago; really deserves to win a race.

Form: F3-6422

Cairnshill¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Alison Clarke⁽⁷⁾| T: Kenny Johnson| OR: 120

50/1

120-rated hurdler (3-29); has been ridden with plenty of confidence (arguably set too much to do) by Alison Clarke on all three starts over fences (223); shouldn't trouble Lord Du Mesnil on the evidence of recent Sedgefield form.

Form: 487223

Hill Sixteen²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 118

11/4

Cost £100,000 in April 2018; showed some ability over hurdles, winning at Carlisle (2m3½f, good to soft) in February but lacks a definite change of gear (slow); is easing in the weights and stable in better form than previously; 0-2 over fences.

Form: 2214-66

Donna's Delight^p³⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: B S Hughes| T: A M Thomson| OR: 118| BF

8/1

Bred for chasing as a brother to the 4m stayer Knockanrawley but 0-5 so far; left behind at the business end of the race (favourite) on seasonal reappearance at Carlisle (3m2f); finished 26¾L third to Polydora in this race last year.

Form: 2/7333-4

Non-Runners

River Frost⁹

Weight: 11-8| Age: 7

T: B Haslam J: Alain Cawley

Forecasts

Hill Sixteen (11/4), Sam's Adventure (7/2), River Frost (4/1), Jammy George (5/1), Slanelough (6/1), Lord Du Mesnil (7/1), Donna's Delight (8/1), Murphy's Law (10/1), Cairnshill (50/1)

Murphy's Law has enjoyed a productive few months (hurdles and fences) but he faces his sternest test from a revised mark in a competitive looking affair. Jammy George returns to the scene of his hurdles win tackling a more suitable trip after staying on past beaten horses in a race won by Doctor Dex Ascot (2m3f), while the 23-race maiden Lord Du Mesnil really deserves to find a race eventually. However, the pair to concentrate upon are the in-form River Frost and the heavy ground proven SAM'S ADVENTURE. The selection finished a creditable fourth to the Kim Bailey-trained Two For Gold on chasing debut at Carlisle (2m4f).