15:40 Newcastle

Thursday 28 January 2021

All15:4016:1216:5017:2518:0018:3019:0019:30

Betway Casino Handicap (Div 1)

Off time: 15:42 | Winning time: 2m 43.11s

(8)

Bobba Tee⁷⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-2| J: Oliver Stammers⁽⁵⁾| T: L A Mullaney| OR: 67| CD

9/2

C&D winner in September. 4/1, sixth of 7 in handicap at this course (2m) 79 days ago, left poorly placed. Likely still in form.

Form: 251626-

(6)

Echo^b⁷²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-1| J: J Garritty| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 66| CD

4/1

C&D winner. Thirteen runs since last win in 2019. Ninth of 11 in handicap (10/1) at this course (2m) 72 days ago. Back down in trip.

Form: 563959-

(2)

Royal Cosmic^p³⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 9-12| J: Billy Garritty⁽⁵⁾| T: R A Fahey| OR: 63| CD

6/1

C&D winner. 9/1, bit below form seventh of 12 in handicap hurdle at Musselburgh (2m, soft) 38 days ago but may do better back on Flat with yard going well.

Form: 0550/07-

(5)

Travel Lightly^p,t1¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 9-4| J: G Lee| T: R Menzies| OR: 55

17/2

Cheekpieces on first time in this code, first run since leaving Tim Easterby when bit below form seventh of 13 in handicap (40/1) at this course (10.2f) 13 days ago, not ideally placed.

Form: 41190-7

(10)

Ad Libitum¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 9-1| J: Jason Hart| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 52| CD

15/8

C&D winner. Creditable third of 13 in handicap at this course (10.2f, 7/1) 13 days ago, needing stiffer test. Back up in trip. Looks competitive on form.

Form: 00056-3

(7)

Tapis Libre^p³²

Age: 13| Weight: 8-13| J: J P Sullivan| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 50| D

28/1

Seventeen runs since last win in 2018. Tenth of 13 in handicap at Wolverhampton (14f, 50/1) 32 days ago. Risky proposition at present.

Form: 328870-

(9)

Hajey⁴⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-9| J: T Eaves| T: Miss Tracy Waggott| OR: 49

8/1

25/1 and cheekpieces on first time, last of 13 in handicap over C&D 44 days ago. Headgear quickly discarded.

Form: 638340-

(1)

Urban Spirit^b1²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 8-8| J: Harrison Shaw| T: Miss J A Camacho| OR: 45

40/1

Second here (2m) off 7 lb higher last March but didn't look in much form on Flat/over hurdles at the end of 2020. Bounce back called for.

Form: 976959-

(3)

Hellfire Kode⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-5| J: Joey Haynes| T: S Waugh| OR: 45

100/1

No show in varied events, including a course jumpers' bumper last week.

Form: 90-8

Non-Runners

(4)

Idilico¹³

Weight: 9-10| Age: 6

T: P A Kirby J: B A Curtis

Forecasts

Ad Libitum (15/8), Idilico (11/4), Echo (4/1), Bobba Tee (9/2), Royal Cosmic (6/1), Hajey (8/1), Travel Lightly (17/2), Tapis Libre (28/1), Urban Spirit (40/1), Hellfire Kode (100/1)

IDILICO caught the eye over a shorter trip here recently on just his second outing for the Phil Kirby stable and looks well worth a chance to confirm that promise. Ad Libitum is back on a workable mark and is feared most after his latest course third. Bobba Tee is better than he showed last time and is also shortlisted.