16:20 Newcastle

Tuesday 31 January 2023

All12:5013:2514:0014:3515:1015:4516:20

quinnbet.com Mares' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:20 | Winning time: 4m 26.03s

Latino Fling³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 114

12/1

Has landed 5 wins since joining this yard, the latest a 23f Bangor handicap off a 1 lb lower mark last summer. However, she has come up short both starts since and looks vulnerable under top-weight in this competitive contest.

Form: 331147

Dollar Bae⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 113

5/2

Point/bumper winner who has made a bright start over hurdles, easily landing a gamble in bare 2m Leicester mares' handicap last month. Followed up at Southwell 10 days later, for which a 4 lb rise is fair, and she may well have more to offer.

Form: 34-2211

Autumn Return³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: Sean Quinlan| T: Ruth Jefferson| OR: 113| D

11/8

Landed a bumper at Ayr in the spring and created a good impression when following up on Market Rasen hurdle debut in September. Double her tally in this sphere in decisive fashion at Catterick (15.7f, soft) last month and mark for this handicap bow looks reasonable.

Form: 11-1461

Ravenscar¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Thomas Dowson| T: P A Kirby| OR: 107| C| D

15/2

Fairly useful Flat performer who opened her account over hurdles in this race 12 months ago. Looked better than ever when scoring at Sedgefield (16.8f, soft) back from a break recently and a 7 lb rise looks manageable, if indeed she is able to back that up.

Form: 70210-1

Bella Bluesky²⁸⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: Craig Nichol| T: Ewan Whillans| OR: 99

20/1

Bagged a Kelso novice last February and ended 2021/22 campaign with a creditable effort in a Perth handicap (20.2f, good to soft). Resumes on a 3 lb lower mark and place possibilities back down in trip here, provided she is fully tuned-up following a 9-month break.

Form: 0/62163-

Maimie's Magic³³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: J J Slevin| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 94

9/1

Well held in 4 maiden/novice hurdles but duly left those efforts well behind when narrowly seeing off Millarville on Kelso handicap debut last month. Couldn't rule out given that she's unexposed but this is certainly a tougher assignment.

Form: 90051

Oot Ma Way^p¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-5| J: P W Wadge⁽⁷⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 91

14/1

Twice a winner on the Flat (both on AW) but recent efforts in that sphere haven't been overly inspiring and she's 0-12 over hurdles.

Form: 2U-F745

Non-Runners

Millarville³³

Weight: 11-10| Age: 10

T: H Graham & G Rutherford J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Autumn Return (11/8), Dollar Bae (5/2), Millarville (3/1), Ravenscar (15/2), Maimie's Magic (9/1), Latino Fling (12/1), Oot Ma Way (14/1), Bella Bluesky (20/1)

DOLLAR BAE has duly improved switched to handicaps the last twice and, with the promise of better to come from this 6-y-o, she is taken to complete the hat-trick. Last year's winner Ravenscar did the job well at Sedgefield on her recent return to action and a reproduction of that would put her firmly in the mix. However, her profile is rather up-and-down and Autumn Return, who is open to improvement now handicapping on the back of her Catterick success, could be a bigger threat.