15:55 Newcastle

Saturday 22 February 2025

All13:3514:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:05

Virgin Bet Daily Price Boosts Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:55 | Winning time: 4m 4.97s

Horn Cape⁷⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 12-2| J: R P McLernon| T: B Haslam| OR: 132| CD

12/1

Course winner thrived last season on testing ground winning three times and still on the up when finishing narrow second at Kelso (having looked the winner) on his final run in May. Looked badly in need of the run when reappearing in December and might just be working his way back to peak fitness.

Form: 2121-28

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Call Me Lyreen⁵⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 12-1| J: Bruce Lynn| T: Eloise Quayle| OR: 131| D

100/1

Showed little on first start since leaving Gordon Elliott (100/1, struggling badly after sixth hurdle) when pulled up at Aintree 58 days ago. Best to look elsewhere.

Form: 60930-P

Salsada^p²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Craig Nichol| T: B Ellison| OR: 127| D

13/2

Useful Flat winner who put it all together over hurdles to win back-to-back Sedgefield handicaps (at 19.8f) at the end of last year. Shaped as if still in form when outclassed in Graded company (24.4f) last month. Should cope with drop to 2m and can be competitive back in handicap company.

Form: 62P114

Jericoacoara²⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Henry Brooke| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 122| D

40/1

Fairly useful hurdler in France for D. Satalia, his best effort when runner-up in a Listed event at Auteuil in 2023/24. Below form in 10-runner handicap at Lyon Parilly in June last year and makes reappearance for new yard without regular cheekpieces/tongue-tie. Worth a market check on U.K. debut.

Form: 52554-7

Bareback Jack⁵⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 122

28/1

Made excellent start to his hurdling career in 2020/21, winning novices on his first 3 starts before well-beaten in Grade 2 at Kelso in March that season. Absent since and needed the run returning from mammoth absence when last of 5 on handicap debut 54 days ago. Needs to take a big step forward.

Form: 11114/5

Imperial Data²⁴⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Ross Chapman| T: R Menzies| OR: 121| BF

18/1

Likeable sort with an excellent strike rate under Rules, producing another improved showing to score at Cartmel (22.1f) in May. Has remained in top form since and should give another good account, although worth noting all his form has come over longer trips thus far.

Form: 11-5124

It's All About You^p¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 119| CD

11/4

Fairly useful on Flat and made winning start over hurdles at this venue in December and improved on that winning easily at Catterick to complete a 4-timer across both codes. Travelled well when third to a couple of in-form rivals on handicap debut and can go well again from only 1 lb higher mark.

Form: 113

Big Boy Bobby⁵⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 117

7/1

Fairly useful on Flat for Roger Charlton and made promising start to hurdles career in 2022 but stood little racing thereafter. Returned from 629-day absence seemingly as good as ever when second at Kempton in December, may have won but for mistake at last. Big player if he can back up that effort.

Form: 412P8/2

Ashington²¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-0| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: M Walford| OR: 116| D

14/1

Winner over hurdles at Kelso in September but followed it up with couple of poor efforts. Step back in the right direction when eighth of 17 in a handicap hurdle at Wetherby (19.7f, soft) three weeks ago but he probably doesn't have much in hand from his current handicap mark.

Form: 316178

Bust A Move³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Jack Tudor| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 114

13/8

Fairly useful on the Flat and looked an even better prospect in this sphere when winning on debut (Catterick,15.7f) in December. Stepped forward with promising third at Wetherby last month (16f), doing best of those held up. 2 lb out of the weights but unexposed sort could improve on handicap debut.

Form: 13

Non-Runners

Perseus Way⁸⁶

Weight: 11-3| Age: 6

T: W Coltherd J: Sam Coltherd

Forecasts

Bust A Move (13/8), It's All About You (11/4), Salsada (13/2), Big Boy Bobby (7/1), Horn Cape (12/1), Ashington (14/1), Imperial Data (18/1), Bareback Jack (28/1), Perseus Way (33/1), Jericoacoara (40/1), Call Me Lyreen (100/1)

A lack of obvious pace could put the emphasis on speed and that may not inconvenience BUST A MOVE who was useful on the Flat and has looked promising in two starts over hurdles, although he will need to settle better to be seen to best effect on handicap debut. Big Boy Bobby rates a serious danger if he can build on the promise of his reappearance run, while C&D winner It's All About You remains lightly-raced in this sphere and could be open to further improvement.