14:00 Newcastle

Tuesday 31 January 2023

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

quinnbet.com Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:01 | Winning time: 4m 19.21s

Colonel Harry^t²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden| OR: 128

1/4

Easy winner in Irish points (subsequently bought for £130,000) and landed Sandown maiden hurdle before excellent fourth in Tolworth Hurdle there 24 days ago. Very much the one to beat.

Form: F1-214

Artic Row¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Henry Brooke| T: N W Alexander

20/1

Promising type. Fifth of 12 in novice hurdle (50/1) at Kelso (16.2f, heavy) 16 days ago, not knocked about. Should progress.

Form: 2-98F5

Caithness

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

25/1

Dylan Thomas gelding. Brother to bumper winner The Gossiper, and half-brother to 2 winners, including fair hurdler Tiger Bay Lady. Dam ran once in bumper. Makes appeal on paper.

Form:

Chumlee^h²⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: S Mulqueen| T: Miss S E Forster

200/1

Twice-raced maiden. Ninth of 14 in novice hurdle at this C&D (soft, 150/1) 24 days ago. Hard to warm to.

Form: PC3P/09

Dare To Shout⁷⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Danny McMenamin| T: Mrs A Hamilton

11/2

£50,000 5-y-o, Martaline gelding. Half-brother to fairly useful hurdle winner/useful chaser winner Yukon Lil. Dam useful 2m-2½m hurdle/chase winner. Trainer’s newcomers command respect. Successful on last of 3 starts in Irish points (Nov 13) too.

Form: 4P-1

Ffree Pedro¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr

20/1

6/1, sixth of 11 in novice hurdle at Wetherby (16f, soft) on NH debut 17 days ago. Needs to step forward.

Form: 6

High Roller⁹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: C O'Farrell| T: N W Alexander

28/1

Twice-raced maiden, better effort when third of 6 in novice hurdle at Ayr (16f, soft) 94 days ago. Needs to build on it again.

Form: 4-3

Midnight Fiddler³²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Edward Austin⁽⁵⁾| T: H Graham & G Rutherford

200/1

Last of 6 in novice hurdle at Carlisle (25f, good, 40/1) on NH debut. Off 10 months. Significantly down in trip.

Form: 6-

Split The Bill²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Craig Nichol| T: Micky Hammond

28/1

Thrice-raced maiden. Seventh of 13 in bumper (22/1) at Musselburgh (15.6f, soft) 28 days ago. Makes hurdles debut with more required.

Form: 43-7

Pipers Cross¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Bruce Lynn⁽³⁾| T: Miss S E Forster

66/1

Modest winner at 16f in bumpers. 50/1, sixth of 12 in novice hurdle at Kelso (16.2f, heavy) 16 days ago, needing stiffer test.

Form: 76-1646

Forecasts

Colonel Harry (1/4), Dare To Shout (11/2), Ffree Pedro (20/1), Artic Row (20/1), Caithness (25/1), High Roller (28/1), Split The Bill (28/1), Pipers Cross (66/1), Chumlee (200/1), Midnight Fiddler (200/1)

COLONEL HARRY possesses much the best form on offer and is impossible to oppose back in these much calmer waters after his excellent Tolworth Hurdle fourth. Artic Row has better days ahead of him and is next on the list, with Ann Hamilton's newcomer Dare To Shout another to consider for minor honours.