14:40 Newcastle

Tuesday 8 March 2022

All13:0013:3014:0514:4015:1515:5016:2016:50

Vickers.Bet And LHS Champion Racing Novices' Handicap Hurdle (Div 2)

Off time: 14:40 | Winning time: 5m 3.68s

Lock Down Luke¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: Mrs J Stephen| OR: 100

7/1

Bumper winner who matched previous best over hurdles when third in a 2m Kelso handicap in December. Jumping issues resurfaced when below form at Musselburgh last time, however.

Form: 934336

Jack Thunder⁴¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: J J Burke| T: A M Hales| OR: 100

16/1

Fair form at best over hurdles for Charlie Mann. Creditable effort on final outing for that stable 13 months ago, and he's down in grade now, so worth a market check.

Form: 40/2683-

The Jad Factor⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Ryan Mania| T: R M Smith| OR: 96

9/1

Modest hurdler who has been placed the last twice but looks vulnerable to better-handicapped rivals.

Form: 5-45823

Thunder In Milan^t⁵²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: S Mulqueen| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 96

18/1

Milan gelding who went down narrowly in an Ayr bumper (2m) in October 2020. Just modest form so far over hurdles, but step back up in trip/switch to handicaps could spark some improvement.

Form: 2-454

Bestiarius²⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Tom Midgley⁽⁵⁾| T: G Boanas| OR: 95

11/1

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, respectable fifth of 12 in handicap hurdle at Doncaster (16.6f, good) 26 days ago. Running consistently of late and dropped 2 lb since last run, so deserves respect.

Form: F-32435

Get With It^h,t³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Craig Nichol| T: R Dobbin| OR: 94

11/1

Low-mileage 7-y-o who got things back on track after a breathing operation/10-month absence when fifth in a handicap at Musselburgh last month. Not certain to build on that, however.

Form: 5/44F0-5

Beat The Edge^p1²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr William Easterby⁽⁵⁾| T: T D Easterby| OR: 93

4/1

Runner-up completed start in points and, while he's only shown modest form over hurdles, he's a candidate to progress switched to handicaps/in cheekpieces.

Form: P2540

Everyday Champagne⁵⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean Quinlan| T: N G Richards| OR: 92

7/2

Modest form in bumpers and has shown something to work on over hurdles. Return to this trip should be to his liking, and opening mark is potentially lenient.

Form: 43-665

Wotsmyname³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Nathan Moscrop| T: I Jardine| OR: 89

33/1

Best effort yet when 12¼ lengths fourth of 15 to Goodtimes Badtimes on handicap bow at Ayr penultimate start, but failed to back it up at this course last time month. Others more persuasive.

Form: 759P46

Dr Shirocco¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Edward Austin⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss S E Forster| OR: 86

8/1

Still to get his head in front, and hasn't been firing lately, so others make more appeal.

Form: 187778

Trac^p²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 83| D

12/1

One-time fair hurdler who, having attracted support, arrived late to capitalise on a much-reduced mark at Wetherby 20 days ago. Remains well treated, but far from certain to be in the same form.

Form: 500871

Gustav's Dream⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-7| J: Bruce Lynn⁽⁵⁾| T: N W Alexander| OR: 81

50/1

Yet to show a great deal but she's out of a winning hurdler and could step up now handicapping, so not a forlorn hope from a lowly mark.

Form: 6779

Kinerton Hill²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Callum Bewley| T: D W Whillans| OR: 79

14/1

Just poor form to date, but latest second to Trac in a handicap at Wetherby was his best effort to date, and he's not fully exposed, so could improve again.

Form: P8-8902

Fethard Glory^t³³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: P W Wadge⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 73

40/1

Modest form in bumpers (left Gavin Cromwell prior to reappearance) and, while she hasn't shown much over hurdles as yet, could make a bigger impact having been handed a basement mark.

Form: 46-33P4

Teme Spirit¹¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: C O'Farrell| T: M Todhunter| OR: 69

66/1

Yet to make much of an impact in handicaps over hurdles or fences, pulled up over the smaller obstacles at Hexham 111 days ago. Hard to make a case for.

Form: P86-4PP

Non-Runners

Goast Dancer⁵⁹

Weight: 10-10| Age: 6

T: A M Thomson J: Ryan Mania

Forecasts

Everyday Champagne (7/2), Beat The Edge (4/1), Lock Down Luke (7/1), Dr Shirocco (8/1), The Jad Factor (9/1), Get With It (11/1), Bestiarius (11/1), Trac (12/1), Kinerton Hill (14/1), Jack Thunder (16/1), Thunder In Milan (18/1), Goast Dancer (20/1), Wotsmyname (33/1), Fethard Glory (40/1), Gustav's Dream (50/1), Teme Spirit (66/1)

An open-looking event involving a number of interesting handicap debutants, the most notable of which is arguably EVERYDAY CHAMPAGNE, who is bred to do better and seems likely to be suited by a return to this trip. He's preferred to the in-form Bestiarius, with Kinerton Hill respected after an improved showing at Wetherby recently.