16:35 Newcastle

Saturday 18 March 2023

All13:4014:1514:5015:2516:0016:3517:07

Guinness Perfect Pour Novices' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:36 | Winning time: 5m 26.44s

Fabuleux Du Clos^t1⁴⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: C O'Farrell| T: S G West| OR: 103

7/2

Lightly-raced 8-y-o (presumably hasn't been the easiest to train) who has finished in the frame on each of his four outings over hurdles. Could do better now handicapping, so not one to write off.

Form: 53/23-34

Hattons Gardens⁶³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: P W Wadge⁽⁵⁾| T: A M Thomson| OR: 98

18/5

Showed ability in maiden/novices and posted creditable fourth of 9 on handicap debut at Wetherby (24.1f, soft) 63 days ago. Entitled to build on that.

Form: 21-6454

Calevade^p⁴³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Sean Quinlan| T: B Haslam| OR: 95

100/1

Fair on Flat in 2020. Also shaped well on hurdle debut in January of that year but he hasn't hasn't shown much in 2 outings since returning from a long absence. Handicaps provide him with a more realistic chance but he has something to prove for now.

Form: 3/P7

Poetria¹³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: M Walford| OR: 95

66/1

Modest form over hurdles so far and was pulled up at Hexham when last seen 4 months ago. Hard to fancy.

Form: 43733-P

Eloi Du Puy⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Bruce Lynn⁽³⁾| T: N W Alexander| OR: 94

6/1

Fair form on the first of 2 starts in bumpers and left previous hurdling form behind when third at Ayr on handicap debut. Up in trip and worthy of interest.

Form: 25-3803

Enemy At The Gate^t1⁴⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Henry Brooke| T: D W Whillans| OR: 94

13/2

Yet to score after 6 attempts and well held on handicap debut at Ayr last month. Tongue strap on first time.

Form: 35/78-78

Burrows Hall¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Ross Chapman| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 93

4/1

Modest form in bumpers and similar level so far over hurdles. Third on handicap debut at Wetherby last time was encouraging and this longer trip promises to suit, so he's worth chancing.

Form: 369-283

Green Planet¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Emma Smith-Chaston⁽³⁾| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 92

33/1

Fair on the Flat but hurdling efforts for Alan King were uninspiring on the whole and has failed to beat a rival on first two outings for this yard on the level.

Form: 894F-P0

Baghdad Central¹⁰⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Tom Midgley⁽⁵⁾| T: N Kent| OR: 90

22/1

Winning Irish pointer but little encouragement so far over hurdles, pulled up at Market Rasen 107 days ago. Others are more persuasive.

Form: P715F-P

Gavroche D'allier^p²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Mitchell Bastyan| T: M F Harris| OR: 89

11/2

Cheekpieces on when good third in 19.5f handicap at Huntingdon in January and back to form when fourth at Taunton last time. Headgear is refitted now and worthy of consideration.

Form: 035364

Farne Island¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-2| J: Dylan Johnston⁽⁷⁾| T: A Nicol| OR: 74

66/1

No show in a bumper/4 starts over hurdles to date and big step forward needed if she's to make any impact.

Form: 7-7709

Gale Force One¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Danny McMenamin| T: N G Richards| OR: 70

100/1

Little form over hurdles to date, including on handicap debut at Ayr last time, so others are more appealing.

Form: 556/P

Non-Runners

How Much²⁹

Weight: 10-11| Age: 5

T: T D Easterby J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Fabuleux Du Clos (7/2), Hattons Gardens (18/5), Burrows Hall (4/1), Gavroche D'allier (11/2), Eloi Du Puy (6/1), Enemy At The Gate (13/2), Baghdad Central (22/1), How Much (25/1), Green Planet (33/1), Poetria (66/1), Farne Island (66/1), Calevade (100/1), Gale Force One (100/1)

BURROWS HALL made a promising start in handicaps when third at Wetherby 12 days ago and this longer trip should bring on improvement, so he gets the nod. Gavroche d'Allier should benefit from the refitting of cheekpieces, so he's regarded as the main threat, with Eloi du Puy also worthy of interest.