Racecards
14:15 Newcastle
Weatherbys Bank Handicap Hurdle (Class 4)
- 14 Runners
- Distance: 2m
- Going: Soft
- Surface: Turf
- £4,500 added
- Form PF440
- Age 5
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 98
- Trainer E W Tuer
- Jockey P McDonald
led until headed approaching 3rd, ridden and weakened approaching 3 out
- Form PP-64U9
- Age 8
- Weight 11-9
- Official Rating 95
- Trainer R Gray
- Jockey Mr M Lurcock
chased leaders until weakened 3rd
Sehoya (IRE)
382- Form 0000-
- Age 5
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 94
always towards rear and raced wide, outpaced when mistake 4 out
- Form 069-913
- Age 7
- Weight 11-7
- Official Rating 93
chased leaders, ridden and weakened approaching 2 out
- Form 52-3F41
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 89
held up, headway to chase leaders 4 out, soon weakened
- Form 61629P
- Age 7
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 89
- Trainer I McMath
- Jockey B P Harding
held up behind, mistake 3rd, headway approaching 3 out, weakened soon after
- Form 1R4-903
- Age 5
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 88
- Trainer M & D Easterby
- Jockey Mr T Greenall
chased leaders, led approaching 3rd, ridden headed 3 out, soon beaten
- Form 12-389P
- Age 7
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 88
- Trainer Miss S E Forster
- Jockey T Messenger
held up towards rear, ridden and headway 4 out, weakened next
- Form 800-69
- Age 5
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 87
- Trainer A C Whillans
- Jockey D Elsworth
in touch, chased winner 3 out until 2 out, stayed on to chase winner run-in, one pace
- Form PP4
- Age 8
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 81
- Trainer E J Jamieson
- Jockey K Renwick
with leader, weakening when mistake 4 out, pulled up before 2 out
- Form 000-00P
- Age 7
- Weight 10-8
- Official Rating 80
- Trainer J R Turner
- Jockey P Aspell
held up, effort approaching 3 out, soon beaten
- Form 0P-6UP3
- Age 6
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 64
- Trainer H P Hogarth
- Jockey P Kinsella
held up, headway approaching 3 out, chased winner 2 out, until no extra after last
Storymaker
15- Form F31-085
- Age 6
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 64
- Trainer Miss S E Forster
- Jockey N Mulholland
prominent, led approaching 3 out, stayed on well from last
In depth
Verdict
Baffling Secret, Seafire Lad and Neven are three against the field in a wide open handicap and the vote is given to Baffling Secret. The selection was a fair third behind Endless Power last time out. That horse has since run well under his penalty so the race has worked out well and we think he should be tough to beat. Seafire Lad rates the main danger as he won well last time out when beating Heisse but that was in a seller and he could be worth taking on today under his penalty in what is a more competitive affair. Neven is another that could go well on his latest second behind Flake but all his best form is on a faster surface and he is taken on with this in mind. Presenting Edward showed improved form to be fourth behind The Abbots Habit last time out and he runs today off a fair mark. He should be watched in the market along with Fair Shake who has the ability to go close but he has looked a short runner in the past. Baffling Secret has rock solid form and is taken to lead them home.
Formwatch
Piccolomini 25-1 (10-13) Mid-division, reminders 4th, weakened 4 out, 10th of 11, well behind Return Ticket (10-13) at Newcastle 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) sft.
Baffling Secret (FR) 3-1 (10-4) Chased leaders, outpaced after 5th, chased clear pair approaching 3 out, kept on, 3rd of 7, 11l behind Endless Power (10-0) at Ayr 2m hcp hdl 0-115 (4) hvy.
Seafire Lad (IRE) 5-2jt-fav (11-5) Tracked leaders, led after 3 out, stayed on under pressure, won at Market Rasen 2m 1f sll hcp hdl 0-95 (5) sft in Dec beating Heisse (11-3) by 1/2l, 8 ran.
Nicozetto (FR) 7-2 (10-12) Held up, headway 4 out, soon ridden and weakened, tailed off pulled up at the last in race won by Ever So Slightly (10-13) at Wetherby 2m 4f nov hcp hdl 0-105 (4) sft in Dec, 10 ran.
Woodford Consult 9-1 (10-2) Held up, headway approaching 4th, weakened 3 out, 3rd of 8, 35l behind Smoothly Does It (10-0) at Wetherby 2m hcp hdl 0-115 (4) sft in Dec.
Prince Adjal (IRE) 7-1 (11-4) Led to 7th, soon weakened, beaten when pulled up 5 out in race won by Em's Royalty (11-7) at Ayr 3m hcp hdl 0-95 (5) hvy, 20 ran.
Neven 28-1 (9-11) In touch, chased leaders after 2 out, stayed on to take 2nd towards finish, 2nd of 14, 3l behind Flake (11-5) at Haydock 2m cnd hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gd in Oct.
Fair Shake (IRE) 9-1 (10-13) Mid-division, outpaced 3 out, soon weakened, 4th of 8, 21l behind Troll (11-3) at Sedgefield 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) sft in Dec.