16:25 Newcastle

Monday 21 December 2020

All13:5514:2514:5515:2515:5516:2516:5517:25

Heed Your Hunch At Betway Handicap

Off time: 16:26 | Winning time: 1m 11.37s

(7)

Wasntexpectingthat¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Barry McHugh| T: R A Fahey| OR: 85| CD

10/1

Three-time C&D winner. 10/1, last of 12 in handicap at this C&D 17 days ago and needs to bounce back.

Form: 210760

(6)

Katheefa¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: T Eaves| T: Mrs R Carr| OR: 83| CD

50/1

C&D winner. Eleventh of 12 in handicap (50/1) at this C&D 17 days ago. Plenty to prove at present.

Form: 820000

(12)

Shallow Hal²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Pierre-Louis Jamin⁽⁵⁾| T: K R Burke| OR: 82| D

9/1

Latest win at Southwell in October. Below form fifth of 10 in handicap at Southwell (7.1f, 4/1) 25 days ago, having hopeless task from position. Has work to do.

Form: 6-40125

(2)

Gunmetal¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-3| J: D Tudhope| T: T D Barron| OR: 81| D

15/2

Twenty two runs since last win in 2018. Good fourth of 12 in handicap at this C&D (17/2) 17 days ago, nearest finish. Can make presence felt.

Form: 980604

(10)

Oakenshield¹⁰⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: K Stott| T: Mrs L Stubbs| OR: 80| CD

14/1

C&D winner. 40/1 and blinkered for 1st time, fourteenth of 16 in handicap at York (6f, good). Off 106 days ahead of this first run for yard after leaving Kevin Ryan.

Form: 5-14000

(1)

Fantasy Keeper³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-1| J: A Mullen| T: M Appleby| OR: 79| CD

16/1

C&D winner. Latest win here in November. Respectable seventh of 14 in handicap at this C&D (11/2) 31 days ago. Each-way shout.

Form: 378217

(3)

Gloves Lynch^b¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: J Fanning| T: M Wigham| OR: 79| BF| D

7/4

Eleven runs since last win in 2018. Creditable fourth of 10 in handicap at Chelmsford City (7f, 3/1) 18 days ago, needing stronger gallop. By no means a forlorn hope.

Form: 708034

(11)

Look Out Louis^p²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: Jason Hart| T: Miss J A Camacho| OR: 77| CD

4/1

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, improved on recent efforts to win 8-runner handicap at this C&D (9/2) 20 days ago by 2¼ lengths from Lucky Lodge, well on top finish. 6 lb rise tolerable.

Form: 473771

(5)

Tathmeen^p⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-10| J: Cam Hardie| T: A Brittain| OR: 74| C| D

14/1

Five-time course winner. 3 wins from 23 runs this year. 7/1, respectable fourth of 10 in handicap at Wolverhampton (6.1f) 9 days ago, caught further back than ideal. Shortlist material.

Form: 220634

(8)

Egrecio⁶⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 8-8| J: Shane Gray| T: M Wigham| OR: 72

50/1

Last of 7 in handicap (11/2) at Southwell (7.1f) 67 days ago. Makes tapeta debut and makes debut for new yard, which is also represented by Gloves Lynch.

Form: 228227

(4)

Lucky Lodge^v²⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 8-8| J: Kieran Schofield⁽⁵⁾| T: A Brittain| OR: 72| CD

28/1

Five-time C&D winner. Creditable 2¼ lengths second of 8 to Look Out Louis in handicap at this C&D (17/2) 20 days ago, running on. 6 lb better off with that rival now and should be in the mix.

Form: 280462

(9)

Be Proud³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-8| J: Oliver Stammers⁽⁵⁾| T: J S Goldie| OR: 72| C

16/1

Career best when winning 13-runner handicap (13/2) at this course (5f) 31 days ago, bit in hand. 5 lb rise fair enough and he's not taken lightly.

Form: 524501

Forecasts

Gloves Lynch (7/4), Look Out Louis (4/1), Gunmetal (15/2), Shallow Hal (9/1), Wasntexpectingthat (10/1), Tathmeen (14/1), Oakenshield (14/1), Be Proud (16/1), Fantasy Keeper (16/1), Lucky Lodge (28/1), Katheefa (50/1), Egrecio (50/1)

This is more competitive than the C&D handicap LOOK OUT LOUIS won at the beginning of the month, but he remains on a feasible mark despite going up 6 lb and will have every chance of following up if the cheekpieces work equally well second time round. Tathmeen is pretty consistent on the whole and should be in the mix, while Be Proud, a winner here last time, and Gloves Lynch also merit respect.