14:00 Newcastle

Saturday 4 January 2020

All11:5012:2512:5513:3014:0014:3515:10

Border Minstrel Pub Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 14:00 | Winning time: 4m 18.6s

Adjutant¹⁷⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 12-3| J: Lewis Stones⁽⁷⁾| T: O Murphy| OR: 129| BF| D

5/1

Won twice from four starts during the spring/summer at Stratford (2m½f, good/good to soft), including when beating Thaqaffa by 6L; the 7lb claim of Lewis Stones is helpful in negating one of the incurred penalties; first start for 174 days.

Form: 7-114

Flash De Clerval²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-11| J: Henry Brooke| T: Dr R D P Newland| OR: 117| D

6/4

With Elizabeth Doyle in Ireland for his first four career starts; struck in a hack canter at the second attempt for Dr Richard Newland at Leicester (1m7½f maiden, heavy) 24 days ago; carries an incurred penalty as a result.

Form: F43-681

Billy Ray²⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Jonathan England| T: S England

11/2

Won twice on testing ground on the Flat (1m4f-1m6f) for Mick Channon before moving on for 22,000gns; 16-1 when a modest debut third (beaten 29L) to Bullionaire in a 2m maiden at Uttoxeter (heavy) 25 days ago.

Form: 3

Dusty's Choice⁴⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: B S Hughes| T: J & S Quinn| D

5/2

Cost €70,000 as a 3yo; made a winning start at Ayr (2m, soft) in October when staying on strongly to beat the Gordon Elliott-trained Mr Caplan by 1¾L; last of eight in a Listed Cheltenham bumper next time; is noteworthy on hurdles debut.

Form: 18

Holme Abbey²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: R D Day| T: N G Richards

25/1

From a modest dam (Brockwell Abbey); weakened quickly on hurdles debut (28-1) at Wetherby (2m5½f, soft) four weeks ago; had previously shown minor ability in bumpers, just not enough to trouble the likely chief protagonists.

Form: 644-0

Kilrush Getaway²³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Danny Cook| T: B Ellison

100/1

Getaway gelding (cost €8,200 as a foal); 33-1 when soon struggling (tailed-off) on debut in a 2m bumper here 23 days ago; is swiftly dispatched to hurdles as a result; considered to be an unlikely candidate.

Form: 0

Off The Beat²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Ryan Mania| T: A M Thomson

25/1

Returned from 19 months off the track (ex-John Mackie) with a modest 100-1 eighth of 12 to Big Bad Bear on hurdles/stable debut at Carlisle (2m1f, soft) three weeks ago; may benefit for that run, but it's far safer to look elsewhere.

Form: 8/7-8

Our Promise¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽³⁾| T: S Corbett

16/1

Malinas mare; didn't jump at all fluently despite running her best race yet when finishing 9L third to the long odds-on favourite Lemon T on hurdles debut here (2m4f, soft) a fortnight ago; drops back in trip (to 2m) with further improvement needed.

Form: 4-3463

Forecasts

Flash De Clerval (6/4), Dusty's Choice (5/2), Adjutant (5/1), Billy Ray (11/2), Our Promise (16/1), Off The Beat (25/1), Holme Abbey (25/1), Kilrush Getaway (100/1)

The Ayr bumper scorer Dusty's Choice is certainly noteworthy on hurdles debut for John Quinn (Brian Hughes in the saddle). However, the returning Adjutant and the effortless Leicester scorer FLASH DE CLERVAL have already been there and got the t-shirt so to speak. Dr Richard Newland is clearly still getting to know his ex-Irish recruit (formerly trained by Elizabeth Doyle) but the early signs have all been positive ones and that's more than enough to stand him in good stead in a relatively modest 2m novices' hurdle.