15:15 Newbury

Saturday 23 March 2024

All13:4014:1014:4015:1515:5016:2517:00

British EBF BetVictor 'National Hunt' Mares' Novices' Hurdle (Limited Handicap) (Grade 2) (GBB Race)

Off time: 16:24 | Winning time: 5m 9.0s

Ooh Betty^t³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Joe Anderson⁽⁵⁾| T: Ben Clarke| OR: 124| D

22/1

Dual winner last May who quickly revived after a couple of lesser efforts when landing a Hereford handicap in good style in late November. Found one too good on her last couple of starts (behind Party Vibes at Market Rasen on latest) but may prove vulnerable to unexposed sorts here.

Form: 13P122

Smiling Getaway³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 123| D

9/1

Winning Irish pointer who shaped well in a Southwell bumper on sole run for Dan Skelton and has built on that when winning mares' novice hurdles at Ludlow (21f, soft) and Warwick (19f, heavy) for her new stable in recent months. Struggled up in grade last time, and now sent handicapping.

Form: 1/4-113

Condesa^t⁵⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: J J Slevin| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 123

22/1

Returned from a very long absence to win a 2m Perth novice hurdle in July. Seemed to find 2½m on heavy ground stretching her when remote fourth next time but given 4 months off, showed more like her hurdling debut form under a penalty when second at Sedgefield in January. More needed.

Form: 230/142

El Elefante¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 122| D

11/1

Made all in both bumper outings and was impressive when making a winning hurdles debut at Perth (20.2f) in September. Defied a penalty readily with her sights lowered at Ayr (20.4f, good to soft) just over a fortnight ago and she's a likely candidate on handicap debut.

Form: 1-15451

Party Vibes³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Alice Stevens⁽⁵⁾| T: H D Daly| OR: 121

6/1

£45,000 purchase after finishing runner-up in an Irish point and confirmed previous promise under Rules when opening her account in Wincanton novice (15.2f) on Boxing Day. Improved again as she followed up at Market Rasen last month and looks capable of better again sent handicapping.

Form: F2-2211

Alfie's Princess^t⁴⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Lorcan Williams| T: S Thomas| OR: 119

10/1

Point winner who has made a promising start over hurdles, landing novices at Chepstow and Exeter. Matched previous form as opposed to finding the improvement needed from her opening mark when third at Sandown 7 weeks ago so will need to take a step forward.

Form: 28-1153

Lilting Verse^t⁹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: C Brace| T: F O'Brien| OR: 115| D

14/1

Listed bumper winner who got off the mark over hurdles with her sights lowered in a 13-runner novice at Ludlow (21.3f) in November. Wasn't in quite the same form back there 3 months ago and likely she'll come up short in this company for her handicap debut.

Form: 3417-14

All The Glory^p⁹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 115

25/1

Won novices at Hexham and Market Rasen on her first 2 starts this season. Ran creditably while leaving the impression the trip might've been far enough for her when 17¼ lengths fifth to Smiling Getaway at Ludlow before Christmas and this looks a tough ask on handicap debut.

Form: 122425

Baby Shally^t²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Freddie Gingell⁽⁵⁾| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 115| D

22/1

Point winner who made a successful start in this sphere in a Wincanton novice in December. Showed improved form upped in trip/grade (also fitted with a tongue strap) when runner-up in a listed event at Doncaster (24.4f, heavy) 3 weeks ago and holds each-way claims now handicapping.

Form: 1-71543

Dontyawantme²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: S Bowen| T: Craig Lidster| OR: 114

50/1

Fairly useful bumper winner who is proving to be steadily progressive over hurdles and got off the mark in 11-runner novice at Carlisle (19.3f, soft) in February. Beaten by more than a combination of the longer trip/racing on the unfavoured inside at Doncaster since and makes her handicap bow.

Form: 37-4217

Larchmont Lass^h⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 113| D

5/1

Useful form in bumpers, including a Sandown listed win last March. Showed improved form to get off the mark over hurdles at Wincanton (21.4f, soft) last month and she may do better still now up and running sent down the handicap route.

Form: 21-5241

Endless Supply⁹²

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 111| BF

20/1

Placed on the second of 2 outings in bumpers and improved on her hurdles debut form when second in an Exeter novice (18.5f, soft) in November. Didn't get home in what became a slog at the trip at Uttoxeter before Christmas and now sent handicapping after a break.

Form: 362-322

Kay Tara Tara¹⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 111

16/1

Bumper winner on debut and made a successful start in this sphere at Huntingdon (19.6f) in October. Showed better form in defeat when third at Fontwell in December and back on track when 2¼ lengths second of 7 to El Elefante in an Ayr novice (20.4f, good to soft) recently. Each-way player.

Form: 20-1322

Drumlee Spud⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Beau Morgan⁽⁵⁾| T: B Pauling| OR: 109

12/1

Successful in sole point and promising second in a bumper. Disappointing she didn't offer more at the business end given how she'd shaped on her first 2 starts in this sphere when 16¼ lengths third to Dontyawantme in a Carlisle novice (19.3f) last month but fancied to show more now handicapping.

Form: 1-22F3

Marmalade Time²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Charlie Hammond| T: Mrs M Rowley| OR: 107

14/1

Steadily progressive over hurdles, making it third time lucky in 9-runner novice at Doncaster (19.4f, heavy) 20 days ago, her jumping again awkward at times but nothing at all wrong with her attitude. Another one to consider on handicap debut.

Form: 20031

Lindy Reilly^t²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 104

9/2

Kayf Tara mare who looks to have been brought along with handicaps in mind, not knocked about when well held at Doncaster (19.4f, heavy) earlier in the month. Better expected for her red-hot yard.

Form: 365

Imperial Jade^t⁵¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-6| J: B Roberts⁽⁵⁾| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 96

66/1

Progressed with each start over hurdles last term, ending campaign with victory in 6-runner juvenile at Chepstow. Disappointing so far this season, though, and has a plenty to find from 8 lb out of the weights.

Form: 321-576

Forecasts

Lindy Reilly (9/2), Larchmont Lass (5/1), Party Vibes (6/1), Smiling Getaway (9/1), Alfie's Princess (10/1), El Elefante (11/1), Drumlee Spud (12/1), Lilting Verse (14/1), Marmalade Time (14/1), Kay Tara Tara (16/1), Endless Supply (20/1), Ooh Betty (22/1), Condesa (22/1), Baby Shally (22/1), All The Glory (25/1), Dontyawantme (50/1), Imperial Jade (66/1)

A mares' novice handicap chock-full of potential and it's DRUMLEE SPUD who gets the tentative nod to build on her early-season efforts for the in-form Ben Pauling stable. Party Vibes is a mare firmly on the up and, arriving on a hat-trick, she can give the selection most to think about, while El Elefante, Larchmont Lass and Marmalade Time are just a handful of others to consider in what looks a wide-open renewal of this valuable, long-established prize.