14:50 Newcastle

Tuesday 3 March 2020

All14:2014:5015:2015:5016:2016:50

Watch Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Novices' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 14:51 | Winning time: 5m 22.7s

See Forever^t²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Max Kendrick⁽³⁾| T: F O'Brien| OR: 99| D

9/2

Keen-natured; fitted with first-time hood/tongue-tie when winning narrowly on her stable debut at Uttoxeter (2m4f, heavy) in December; hasn't been disgraced in stronger contests since; enters the thought process for each-way purposes.

Form: 464-154

Darius Des Sources^p³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Sean Quinlan| T: C Grant| OR: 97

15/2

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) five weeks ago; makes his handicap debut.

Form: 16-PP33

The Black Squirrel⁶⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: H Hogarth| OR: 97

14/1

Joined this trainer from Warren Greatrex (for £9,000 in September 2018); fairly modest in two starts during the month of December, finishing fourth of nine (beaten 12+L) to Coup De Gold at Catterick (2m3½f, soft) latest.

Form: 22P6-P4

Casimir Du Clos⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Sam Coltherd⁽³⁾| T: W Coltherd| OR: 95| D

20/1

A positive spell of Hexham form (hurdles and fences) came to an abrupt end with a bitterly disappointing effort (beaten 6-5f) in mid-December; ran out mid-race (over fences) when disputing the lead at Musselburgh last week.

Form: 12150R

Seapoint^p³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Miss Becky Smith⁽³⁾| T: Miss J E Foster| OR: 94| C

4/1

Appears to enjoy her visits to Newcastle (4221); broke the maiden tag at the 33rd attempt with a smooth win here (2m6f, soft) five weeks ago; the 3lb claim of Becky Smith is deployed to remove a chunk of a subsequent 7lb weights rise.

Form: 437321

Whispering Waters^p1¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: C O'Farrell| T: I Jardine| OR: 91

7/1

Ex-Martin Brassil; hasn't seen masses of handicap action but has eased 7lb in the weights; cheekpieces are worn on this occasion following a fifth-placed finish to the Nicholls-raider Nineohtwooneoh at Musselburgh (2m4f, soft) a fortnight ago.

Form: 099675

Epsom Des Mottes^p⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: William Shanahan⁽⁷⁾| T: P A Kirby| OR: 89| BF

15/2

Very well supported in the market when hacking up in a conditional jockeys' race at Ayr (2m5½f, heavy) in January; travelled like the winner (unpenalised) at Lingfield the following week but failed to see out the 2m7f trip; 12lb higher.

Form: 958612

On We Go^p1¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Bruce Lynn⁽⁷⁾| T: Kenny Johnson| OR: 88

20/1

Broke her maiden with a hard fought, front-running shift at Ayr (2m5½f, heavy) in January; surprisingly dismal in two subsequent starts, so the cheekpieces are hastily sought in order to seek to rekindle some enthusiasm; risky proposition?

Form: 645106

My Strong Man¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-13| J: Thomas Dowson| T: P A Kirby| OR: 95

5/1

Eight-race maiden; ran his best race over hurdles when finishing fourth (beaten 4½L) to Kauto D'Amour over 2m here (soft) in January; low-key on the AW since and Phil Kirby almost certainly has stronger claims with Epsom Des Mottes.

Form: 4574

Donald Dux^t⁶²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: J Kington| T: A Crook| OR: 74

10/1

Seven-race maiden with bits and pieces of modest form at this track (over 2m); weakened from the second last flight when finishing only sixth of nine to Island Villa at Catterick (1m7½f, gd/sft) on New Year's Day; off since.

Form: 4-98446

Permission Granted⁶⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 10-1| J: Lucy Alexander| T: R Dobbin| OR: 74

10/1

12-race maiden; hasn't seen too much racing in recent times (stable have had issues) and has fallen to a career low handicap mark as a result; kept on steadily from off the pace to finish fourth at Sedgefield (2m4f, soft) on Boxing Day.

Form: 63850-4

Dorothy's Flame^p¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Danny McMenamin⁽³⁾| T: J C Haynes| OR: 72

40/1

11-race maiden with no worthwhile form on her CV; it's basically impossible to make a constructive case with regards her chances (win or place); far safer to look elsewhere.

Form: 70-8P56

Forecasts

Seapoint (4/1), See Forever (9/2), My Strong Man (5/1), Whispering Waters (7/1), Darius Des Sources (15/2), Epsom Des Mottes (15/2), Donald Dux (10/1), Permission Granted (10/1), The Black Squirrel (14/1), Casimir Du Clos (20/1), On We Go (20/1), Dorothy's Flame (40/1)

Jo Foster's Seapoint has acquitted herself well on all four previous visits to Newcastle (4221) breaking her duck at the 33rd attempt on her most recent start. Undoubtedly she has plenty in her favour here under similarly testing conditions (drops back slightly in trip) with the booking of the experienced 3lb claimer Becky Smith surely beneficial to her chances. However, the preferred option is the Phil Kirby-trained EPSOM DES MOTTES. He hacked up at Ayr in January, and was only undone by a lack of stamina when bidding for a swift double at Lingfield (2m7f) the following week. On his favoured heavy ground, a subsequent 12lb weights rise isn't viewed as a major concern.