Vertem Investing For The Future Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

4YO plus | Class 5 | 2m 46y | 7 Runners | Turf

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: Harry Reed| T: V Thompson| OR: 100

45-race maiden; 0-3 for the Embleton based trainer Victor Thompson (has eased 12lb since joining the yard); finished sixth of 11 (50-1) in a Sedgefield maiden (2m1f, soft) in early December.

Form: 2064P6

Taqwaa^h³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Patrick Cowley| T: Laura Morgan| OR: 100

Reasonably proficient on the Flat (77-rated); has raced keenly on all three starts over hurdles (maiden & novice) and that has ultimately proved his undoing; fairly weighted for handicap debut (if electing to settle).

Form: 550

Darius Des Sources^p²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Bruce Lynn⁽³⁾| T: C Grant| OR: 97

Point winner; initially slow to make his mark for Chris Grant but did show more promise when a modest third (beaten 23L) to Sirwilliamwallace at Kelso (2m5f maiden, soft) four weeks ago; handicap debut.

Form: 16-PP33

Made For You^t³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Fergus Gregory⁽³⁾| T: O Murphy| OR: 96

In truth hasn't shown a great deal of promise in two handicap starts, albeit he could improve for the run (his first for seven months) at Warwick (2m, soft) last month; in safe hands and easing slowly in the weights.

Form: 54435

Astra Via²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Isabel Williams⁽⁶⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 96

Seven-race maiden (placed on four of those runs); ran her best race to date at Taunton (2m3f, soft) three weeks ago when a staying on third to Tactical Manoeuvre; should remain competitive in this grade; riders 6lb claim helpful.

Form: 422-733

Southeast Rose²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Danny McMenamin| T: M Todhunter| OR: 92| D

Fresh from wind surgery when gamely fending off an in-form Starplex at Kelso (2m, heavy) early in the New Year; failed to back up from her revised mark here (soft) 16 days later.

Form: 74-5P16

Gris De Pron^p²²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Joe Williamson⁽⁵⁾| T: H Hogarth| OR: 89| D

2lb higher than when scoring at Sedgefield (2m4f, good) last August; burst a blood vessel at Kelso the following month and absent until reappearing with a midfield finish (33-1) at Catterick (2m3½f, soft) three weeks ago.

Form: 562105

Forecasts

Astra Via (9/4), Taqwaa (4/1), Made For You (9/2), Darius Des Sources (6/1), Southeast Rose (7/1), Gris De Pron (7/1), Challow (16/1)

A very low-key start to Eider Chase Day at Newcastle. Taqwaa embarks upon his handicapping career from a most attractive mark (100) but with conditions forecast to be riding extremely testing his eagerness (keen) is a major concern. Therefore, the most sensible approach is to plump for the consistent ASTRA VIA. She clearly has a race of this nature within and it's perfectly relevant to acknowledge that she ran her best race to date at Taunton (2m3f) three weeks ago. She sets the benchmark under the capable 6lb claimer Isabel Williams.