12:00 Newcastle

Saturday 19 December 2020

All12:0012:3013:0513:4014:1514:5015:25

quinnbet.com Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:00 | Winning time: 4m 13.12s

Xpo Universel^t,v²⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 12-3| J: Tom Midgley⁽¹⁰⁾| T: R Menzies| OR: 102| D

6/1

Veteran who resumed winning ways at Sedgefield (16.8f) in January. Efforts have been mixed during second half of 2020 but his mark is falling all the time and not discounted.

Form: 6-45365

Dubai Days^h²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 12-2| J: Bruce Lynn⁽⁵⁾| T: N W Alexander| OR: 101

7/2

Showed ability in bumpers and over timber but was below form when third in Kelso novice (16.2f, good to soft) on return in October and no upturn for the switch to handicaps at Musselburgh since.

Form: 3325-37

Billy Bathgate¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-12| J: Craig Nichol| T: A C Whillans| OR: 97

11/1

4-y-o who was well beaten in bumpers/on Flat. However, some promise to glean from exploits in novice/maiden hurdles in recent months. Can do better now handicapping, particularly if settling better.

Form: 6-73P4

Raise Your Hand^t²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley| OR: 97

22/1

Winner of sole start in points but there hasn't been a great deal of encouragement in trio of novice hurdle runs spread over 11 months. Worth a precautionary market check now handicapping.

Form: 1P-95

Comber Mill^p1,t¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Callum Bewley| T: D Thompson| OR: 96| D

9/1

Not long with this stable and better with each start to date, runner-up in a 10-runner Sedgefield handicap (16.8f) at the start of the month. Can go well again on that evidence.

Form: P72-042

Oishin^t¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Ross Chapman| T: M A Barnes| OR: 92| CD

25/1

Cashed in on a reduced mark when scoring at Carlisle on final start last term. However, his profile is rather patchy and he's not been in anything like the same form either start this time around.

Form: 85/71-97

Get Help¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: D R Fox| T: W Coltherd| OR: 90

15/2

Fair maiden hurdler who struggled to get competitive in pair of chase starts and he was again some way below the pick of his hurdles form at Sedgefield (16.8f) 2 weeks ago.

Form: 3P5-785

New Moon^t²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Stan Sheppard| T: T Lacey| OR: 90WS

12/1

Modest form only start in bumpers for Nicky Henderson and not got competitive over hurdles for new yard. However, remains low-mileage from a handicapping perspective and wind op may have helped now.

Form: 9/7768

Horst^h¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Danny McMenamin⁽³⁾| T: Miss L C Siddall| OR: 87

10/1

Winning hurdler/chaser in France, but has struggled on this side of the Channel, including on back of wind surgery latest. However, mark has tumbled and he's one to keep an eye on.

Form: 3P-P7P7

Spot On Soph^h²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-11| J: Jonathan England| T: S England| OR: 82

22/1

Walk In The Park filly who hasn't offered a great deal in trio of novice/maiden contests so far this winter. Type yard do well with in handicaps though, so worth a precautionary market check.

Form: 807

Lough Legend⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Sam Coltherd⁽³⁾| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 80

8/1

Essentially lost his way but did at least hint at a revival when 8 lengths fourth in a C&D event 9 days ago. Handicapper has relinquished his grip further if he can use that as platform to build on.

Form: PPF-074

Test Ride³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: Harry Reed⁽³⁾| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 78

11/1

Maiden who made more of an impact returned to a handicap when 5 lengths fourth of 10 at Wincanton (15.3f) recently. He's another who needs to build on that here.

Form: 079/P-54

Cryogenics^p,t⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Alison Clarke⁽⁷⁾| T: Kenny Johnson| OR: 77| D

16/1

Won selling event at Fakenham in February and back to that sort of form when second at Sedgefield (16.8f) on penultimate start. However, he again ran below form back over C&D latest.

Form: 969026

Unique Company⁹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-1| J: Aaron Anderson⁽⁷⁾| T: M Weatherer| OR: 72

80/1

Little sign of ability on Flat or over hurdles for David Thompson/Stef Keniry and he can only be watched now starting out in handicaps for new yard.

Form: R-0P6

Instingtive^p1⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: S Mulqueen⁽³⁾| T: Miss L Harrison| OR: 68| D

33/1

Successful in 20f Carlisle handicap chase on final run of 2018/19 campaign but well below that level since, including back over hurdles in recent months. Operating from 3 lb out the weights today.

Form: 40P-P98

Cyrano Star³⁰⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: J Kington| T: A Crook| OR: 63

100/1

Runner-up over hurdles at Carlisle (17f) in spring 2019 but hard to be enthusiastic about his exploits since over either set of obstacles. Hard to fancy from out of the weights.

Form: 9070F8-

Non-Runners

Burdigala⁹

Weight: 11-4| Age: 7

T: Micky Hammond J: Alain Cawley

Forecasts

Dubai Days (7/2), Xpo Universel (6/1), Get Help (15/2), Lough Legend (8/1), Comber Mill (9/1), Horst (10/1), Test Ride (11/1), Billy Bathgate (11/1), New Moon (12/1), Cryogenics (16/1), Spot On Soph (22/1), Raise Your Hand (22/1), Oishin (25/1), Burdigala (25/1), Instingtive (33/1), Unique Company (80/1), Cyrano Star (100/1)

A decidedly trappy opener and it may pay to take a punt on HORST. He's tumbled in the weights and it's possible he will come forward from his first start after wind surgery at Sedgefield 2 weeks ago. Comber Mill ran well in front of the selection then and is feared, along with Lough Legend and veteran Xpo Universel.