13:40 Newcastle

Saturday 6 January 2024

All11:5512:3013:0513:4014:1514:5015:25

QuinnBet Acca Bonus Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:51 | Winning time: 4m 25.6s

Forged Well³⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Callum Bewley| T: M Todhunter

4/1

Jet Away gelding who was third on his completed start in Irish points and went 2 places better on last month's Carlisle hurdle debut (19.3f), doing it readily under hands-and-heels ride. Entitled to progress.

Form: 31

Blazing Soldier²³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: M Walford

16/1

£3,000 5-y-o, Soldier of Fortune gelding. Half-brother to fairly useful hurdler/useful chaser Evander. Dam unraced. Placed once from 3 starts in Irish points, last of 7 finishers last time (May 14).

Form: U3-7

Konfusion⁵⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J Parkinson & S Smith

7/2

Shaped like a stayer in bumpers and did the same sent hurdling when third in a 5-runner novice at Southwell (15.8f) in July 2022. Not seen since.

Form: 33-

Lord Denning²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Craig Nichol| T: Miss P Robson

33/1

Boasts a decent jumps pedigree but has only hinted at ability in novice hurdles at Carlisle and Ayr.

Form: P9

Poetry Man⁸⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Jonathon Bewley| T: G Bewley

125/1

Runner-up completed start in Irish points but has made little impact in a brace of maiden hurdles 5 months apart.

Form: P2-46

Two Auld Pals²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: P W Wadge⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| D

6/5

Fairly useful handicapper on Flat for Jim Goldie (stays 2¼m), won 3 times in 2023. Showed an aptitude for hurdling when second at Bangor (16.7f, heavy) and can be expected to improve.

Form: 2

We Got Your Back^t⁶⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: B S Hughes| T: L MorganWS

18/1

Didn't achieve much when a well-held fourth in a Perth bumper in August and finished down the field on October's hurdle debut for new trainer Laura Morgan. His subsequent breathing operation needs to have made a big difference.

Form: 40

Whosmydaddy²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Ryan Mania| T: A M Thomson

25/1

Well held in bumper/maiden hurdle 8 months apart. Has left John McConnell.

Form: 10-8

Anamanda³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Henry Brooke| T: N W Alexander

10/1

Fairly useful 3-time winner on the Flat in France for Nicolas Clement but was let down by her jumping when pulled up on Kelso hurdle debut in late November.

Form: P

Missy Ava¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Joe Williamson⁽⁵⁾| T: M Walford

200/1

Finished tailed off in a Wetherby novice hurdle on debut 11 days ago.

Form: 7

Princess Of Mercia^t²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: S Mulqueen| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

80/1

Hinted at ability fitted with a tongue strap when a well-held third of 5 in a novice hurdle at Hexham (16.2f, heavy) on debut 24 days ago.

Form: 3

Vive De Charnie²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: Alan Doyle⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

40/1

Ran to a fair level in a brace of bumpers for Jamie Snowden but well held both starts over hurdles (hooded latest).

Form: 42/94

Mad Mode⁴³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-3| J: Danny McMenamin| T: M Walford

50/1

5/1, last of 7 in juvenile hurdle at Catterick (15.7f, good to soft) on NH debut 43 days ago.

Form: 7

Cantalupo Bella⁵¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: J M Quinlan| T: M & D Easterby

20/1

Modest maiden on the Flat who came in a remote third of 8 in a Sedgefield juvenile hurdle (16.8f, heavy) on NH debut 51 days ago. Plenty more is required.

Form: 3

Non-Runners

Lunar Chief⁴⁹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 6

T: Ruth Jefferson J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Two Auld Pals (6/5), Konfusion (7/2), Forged Well (4/1), Anamanda (10/1), Lunar Chief (10/1), Blazing Soldier (16/1), We Got Your Back (18/1), Cantalupo Bella (20/1), Whosmydaddy (25/1), Lord Denning (33/1), Vive De Charnie (40/1), Mad Mode (50/1), Princess Of Mercia (80/1), Poetry Man (125/1), Missy Ava (200/1)

TWO AULD PALS hit the target 3 times on the Flat in 2023 and found only a previous winner too strong on his recent Bangor hurdle debut, so he's taken to make the most of the 7 lb he receives from the penalised Forged Well, who won readily at Carlisle despite jumping markedly right. Konfusion could be the one to fill the places.