16:30 Newcastle

Tuesday 31 March 2026

All14:3015:0015:3016:0016:3017:0017:35

Border Minstrel Sunday Lunch Handicap Chase

Off time: 16:31 | Winning time: 5m 14.23s

El Muchacho^t¹²

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: William Maggs⁽³⁾| T: M E Sowersby| OR: 97

14/1

Twice a winner this season and put in another solid shift when collared close home at Sedgefield 12 days ago. 2 lb nudge tolerable and, though not generally the most reliable of types, he'll be a danger to all if able to back that up that Sedgefield effort here.

Form: 151F32

Ceolwulf^p³³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: James Bowen| T: Fionn McSharry| OR: 93| D

11/4

Opened his account in a 6-runner Warwick handicap chase last spring and has found just the 1 too good both starts this season, latterly pulling clear of the rest when chasing home an in-form rival at Wetherby. Leading claims.

Form: 3/215-22

Ozzy Cosmo^t,p⁴⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: C O'Farrell| T: N W Alexander| OR: 90

16/1

Bagged 2m novice hurdle at Ayr on Rules debut in December 2023 but little to shout about since.

Form: P3P-8P4

Passengerontheship¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Jonathan England| T: S England| OR: 89

10/3

Placed in an Irish point and made the frame all 4 starts switched to handicaps last term. Mid-field on belated reappearance here recently but entitled to come on for that run and he could have a part to play if his jumping passes the test now tackling fences.

Form: 9/4222-8

Zumbi^t¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: Leah Noreci⁽¹⁰⁾| T: James Moffatt| OR: 87

12/1

Novice hurdle winner back in 2022 and shaped as though starting to find his feet again when fourth in a 6-runner handicap chase here (2m, good to soft) 17 days ago. Down another 2 lb and this step back up in trip will help, so there is some cause for optimism.

Form: 3/8-PP44

Cave Hill^t,p⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Callum Bewley| T: I A Duncan| OR: 76| CD

8/1

Hurdles winner here in December 2024 and off the mark in this sphere when gamely accounting for 9 rivals at Hexham last spring. Appeared to be coming back to the boil when third at Sedgefield in December but has followed that with a string of lesser efforts.

Form: 653693

Play By The Rules^t,p⁵¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-6| J: Ryan Mania| T: A Nicol| OR: 75

3/1

Modest hurdles winner and record stands at 0-6 in this sphere. Given a chance by the handicapper but this debut for new yard comes on the back of a 17-month absence.

Form: 455554-

Kingston Rock⁴⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: Edward Austin⁽⁵⁾| T: Gary Rutherford| OR: 72

28/1

Pulled up all 3 starts this season and it's not hard to look elsewhere.

Form: 836-PPP

Sputnik^p⁶⁹

Age: 11| Weight: 10-2| J: Sean Quinlan| T: Lizzie Quinlan| OR: 69| D

50/1

Tumbled in the weights and took a step back in the right direction when second at Catterick in November. However, he has failed to complete on 2 of his 3 subsequent starts and others make more appeal.

Form: P-52P6P

Euchan Falls^v,t²⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 10-2| J: Danny McMenamin| T: R M Smith| OR: 64| D

11/1

Dual hurdles winner back in 2023 but he's a long-standing maiden in this sphere and looks up against it once more from 7 lb out of the handicap.

Form: 7PPPP4

Non-Runners

Didntgotwenty⁴⁴

Weight: 10-12| Age: 7

T: M Todhunter J: Sean Quinlan

Forecasts

Didntgotwenty (11/8), Ceolwulf (11/4), Play By The Rules (3/1), Passengerontheship (10/3), Cave Hill (8/1), Euchan Falls (11/1), Zumbi (12/1), El Muchacho (14/1), Ozzy Cosmo (16/1), Kingston Rock (28/1), Sputnik (50/1)

The vote goes to CEOLWULF, who deserves to get his head back in front following a couple of solid efforts in defeat this season, notably chasing home a progressive one from a major yard at Wetherby where he put plenty of daylight between himself and the third. It was a rather thin race that Didntgotwenty won at Musselburgh but he did the job well and looks a big threat, while there were encouraging signs from Zumbi here recently and he is best of the rest.