12:00 Newcastle

Saturday 18 December 2021

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

bet365 Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 12:00 | Winning time: 3m 55.04s

East Street²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Callum Bewley| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| D

3/1

Runner-up on second of his 2 starts in maiden points and made a winning Rules debut in 2m Wetherby novice last month. More needed here under a penalty, but he's open to improvement.

Form: 9-21

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Since Day One²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Peter Kavanagh⁽⁷⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| CD

8/13

Promise on Rules debut fourth in a Carlisle bumper and duly improved starting out over hurdles when landing a C&D maiden 3 weeks ago. Further progress likely and he's a big player.

Form: 2P2-41

Ballytobin²²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: S Mulqueen| T: Miss S E Forster

80/1

Well held in a pair of Irish bumpers and similar story in Kelso novice events earlier this year.

Form: 648-8

Black Minster²¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Craig Nichol| T: P Atkinson| D

50/1

Winning start in AW bumper here in January, but little impact both starts since, including on hurdles bow at Aintree when last seen during the spring.

Form: 17-4

King Of Unicorns³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Billy Garritty| T: Micky Hammond| CD

4/1

Improved when making it third time lucky in bumpers here last month. More on his plate now switched to hurdles, but interesting to see how he gets on.

Form: 451

Mr Dealer²⁰⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: J Kington| T: A Dodgson

18/1

Fair form in bumpers and by no means disgraced when fifth of 11 on hurdles debut at Southwell (20.4f) following a monster absence. Couldn't be sure that this 9-y-o will build on that here, though.

Form: 6327/5

Uncle Gez¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Oakley Brown⁽⁵⁾| T: C Grant

100/1

Well held in bumpers 5 months apart and failed to pull up any trees switched to hurdles at Kelso recently.

Form: 306

Cresswell Queen^h¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Harry Reed| T: T Davidson

50/1

Unplaced in an Irish point and little impact under Rules so far.

Form: P50/45-5

Non-Runners

Soft Risk³²

Weight: 11-5| Age: 5

T: N G Richards J: Sean Quinlan

Forecasts

Since Day One (8/13), Soft Risk (5/4), East Street (3/1), King Of Unicorns (4/1), Mr Dealer (18/1), Black Minster (50/1), Cresswell Queen (50/1), Ballytobin (80/1), Uncle Gez (100/1)

SOFT RISK has looked good in winning an Ayr bumper and a novice hurdle there on his reappearance last month, and he looks destined for better things. Fellow hurdles debut winners Since Day One and East Street rate the main dangers, in that order of preference, while King of Unicorns is worth a second look having hit the target in a bumper here last time.