Racecards
12:10 Newcastle
Sunbets Novices' Hurdle (Class 4)
- 6 Runners
- Distance: 2m 6f
- Going: Soft (Good to Soft in places)
- Surface: Turf
- £8,000 added
- Winner: £5,198
- 2nd: £1,526
- 3rd: £763
- 4th: £382
- Form 1319-12
- Age 5
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 124
- Trainer B Ellison
- Jockey Danny Cook
raced wide, tracked leading pair, went 2nd after 6th, led 3 out, clear after next, kept on strongly
- Form 0/P-F0P9
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 89
- Trainer Mrs S Walton
- Jockey Miss C Walton
held up well, in rear, went 4th approaching 8th, pushed along before 4 out, weakened quickly, soon lost touch, tailed off and pulled up before 3 out
- Form U1-3806
- Age 8
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer Gemma Anderson
- Jockey Steven Fox
tracked leader until after 6th, chased leaders, pushed along before 8th, weakened before next, soon tailed off
- Form F/F21-6
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer D McCain Jnr
- Jockey W T Kennedy
led, hit 1st, pushed along and headed 3 out, chased winner, ridden before next where mistake, kept on same pace, no chance with winner
- Form 73-F7
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer T D Easterby
- Jockey B S Hughes
tracked leading trio, went 3rd before 8th, well held and no impression before 3 out
- Form PB3-0
- Age 5
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer J R Norton
- Jockey Colm McCormack
held up, in last pair, modest 4th after 4 out, no impression, tailed off
Verdict
Sedgefield winner BALLYCRYSTAL was only caught in the shadows of the post by The Unit at Doncaster next time when giving the winner 7lb. He should have few problems picking up the winning thread again here against modest opposition. Bumper winner Our Dancing Dandy may be the one to chase him home as he’ll have learnt plenty from his hurdling debut at Haydock. Smart Boy appears to have gone backwards since a third at Hexham in March.
Formwatch
Ballycrystal (IRE) 7-4 (11-5) Tracked leaders, closed 4 out, led before next, ridden and headed narrowly before last, pressing winner flat, stayed on, just held, 2nd of 5, hd behind The Unit (10-12) at Doncaster 2m 5f (4) gs in Nov.
Daydream Island (IRE) 100-1 (10-8) Close up, weakened after 3 out, 9th of 10, dist behind Cool Baranca (10-3) at Kelso 2m hcp (4) gs in Oct.
Elusive Classic (IRE) 150-1 (10-12) Always behind, weakened before 5 out, tailed off, 6th of 10, dist behind Another Bill (11-12) at Kelso 2m 7f (4) gs in Nov.
Our Dancing Dandy (IRE) 8-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders, mistake 5 out, weakened before 3 out, 6th of 11, 25 3/4l behind Constantine Bay (10-12) at Haydock 2m 3f (3) hvy in Nov.
Smart Boy (IRE) 17-2 (10-12) Jumped left 1st, mid-division, headway before 4th, not fluent 5th, weakened before 3 out, 7th of 10, 24 1/2l behind Kalaniti (10-12) at Wetherby 2m (4) sft in Nov.
The Junior Man (IRE) 150-1 (11-2) In rear, pushed along over 6f out, tailed off over 4f out, 10th of 11, dist behind Claimantakinforgan (11-2) at Haydock 2m (4) hvy in Nov.