December 23 / 14.15 Newcastle

14.15

Good To Soft

bet365 Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £4224.8
  • 2m 4f 62y
  • Class 4
  • 8 runners
SKY
View Course
bet365 Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

5/1 (Won)

  • Win: £3.50
  • Place: £1.30

Form: 2U4-01 CD

Last run: 9 days

W: 11st 4lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 97

Form & Verdict
Bounced back from low-key seasonal debut and rewarded strong market support when winning by a neck over C&D (heavy) nine days ago, drawing well clear of the others with an unexposed one; may not be seen to quite the same effect on today's quicker ground but remains well handicapped on older form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

19th Feb 2026

2m 3f 188y

Class 5

15:43 Sedgefield

North Parade

12st 0lb

J: Oscar Palmer

T: Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith

Course winner; last three wins were over 2m4f at Newcastle in 2023/4; sound run when fourth at Haydock last time (2m3f, good to soft); now 2lb lower and interesting with cheekpieces tried.

9/1

6/1

  • Place: £2.10

Form: 0-5473 D

Last run: 42 days

W: 10st 6lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 85

Form & Verdict
Seemingly boosted by first-time cheekpieces when close third at Kelso (2m5f, good to soft) six weeks ago but has been well below her best form this year and remains without a win since 2020; others have more persuasive profiles.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

8

23rd Dec 2023

Good To Soft

2m 4f 62y

Class 4

14:15 Newcastle

Millie Of Mayo

10st 6lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Nicky Richards

held up in rear

6/1

3rd

7

11th Nov 2023

Soft

2m 4f 189y

Class 5

14:50 Kelso

Millie Of Mayo

10st 11lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Nicky Richards

midfield

8/1

25/1

  • Place: £3.60

Form: 2-0908

Last run: 35 days

W: 11st 12lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 105

Form & Verdict
Dual Flat and three-time hurdle winner when trained in France; soundly beaten on last month's British debut at Wetherby (2m3f, heavy) but benefits from a big drop in grade here and Brian Hughes is booked again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

4

6th May 2026

Good

2m 1f 14y

Class 4

16:32 Kelso

Singapore Trip

11st 4lb

J: Alice Stevens

T: Micky Hammond

On a hat-trick having won for today's rider at Wetherby in March (1m7f, good) and at Market Rasen in April (2m3f, good); has gone up 10lb, but these conditions suit and he could go well again.

3/1

1st

4

14th Apr 2026

Good

2m 3f 34y

Class 4

16:30 Market Rasen

Singapore Trip

10st 13lb

J: Alice Stevens

T: Micky Hammond

Five-time hurdle winner who has returned to chasing in recent weeks and was a clearcut winner at Wetherby (1m7f, good) on his latest outing; features prominently in calculations.

11/2

1st

5

27th Mar 2026

Good

1m 7f 36y

Class 4

15:50 Wetherby

Singapore Trip

10st 7lb

J: Alice Stevens

T: Micky Hammond

Somewhat similar to Zero Tolerance, being an exposed sort whose chase record is 0-8; the difference is that he's a five-time hurdles winner, most recently off 5lb higher at Wetherby (2m3f) in October; recent form suggests this drop in trip is worth exploring; interesting back here.

4/1

Form: 3PF-86 CD

Last run: 102 days

W: 11st 11lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 104

Form & Verdict
Won C&D maiden in February 2022 but seems to have lost his way this year; safely held in first-time cheekpieces (retained) in September, after a break, and off for another 102 days since; others have much less to prove.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

4th May 2024

Good To Soft

2m 7f 63y

Class 5

20:25 Hexham

Rowdy Rustler

11st 7lb

J: Derek Fox

T: Lucinda Russell

in rear

16/1

4

4th May 2024

Good To Soft

2m 7f 63y

Class 5

20:25 Hexham

Rowdy Rustler

11st 7lb

J: Derek Fox

T: Lucinda Russell

in rear

16/1

13th

1

9th Mar 2024

Soft

3m 0f 70y

Class 5

16:18 Ayr

Rowdy Rustler

12st 0lb

J: Patrick Wadge

T: Lucinda Russell

Best run back hurdling this season when 10l fourth of eight over an extended 2m4f at Newcastle (good) just before Christmas; has stamina to prove (fell before halfway previous attempt over 3m under rules) but being dropped another 4lb can only help.

8/1

Form: 23P-21 D

Last run: 24 days

W: 10st 7lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 86

Form & Verdict
Improved performer this season, more recently when comfortably pulling 7l clear to open account at Kelso (2m5f, soft) last month; went up 7lb for that but must be considered in current mood.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

9

11th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 4f 100y

Class 5

13:10 Ayr

Eden Mill

10st 5lb

J: Murray Dodd

T: Donald Whillans

in touch with leaders

7/1

7th

9

11th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 4f 100y

Class 5

13:10 Ayr

Eden Mill

10st 5lb

J: Murray Dodd

T: Donald Whillans

Sole win came at Kelso (2m5f, soft) in November 2023 off 3lb lower mark; pulled up when last seen in March last year but wind surgery and the subsequent break may have helped.

7/1

Form: 31-

Last run: 240 days

W: 11st 12lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 105

Form & Verdict
Half-brother to top-class chaser Protektorat; not seen since winning Warwick maiden (2m3f, good) in April but, after only two career starts, could have significant further improvement to come in handicaps.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

11

2nd May 2026

Yielding

3m 0f 104y

15:45 Punchestown

Montregard

10st 10lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Tom Lacey

Half-brother to top-class Protektorat; surprise withdrawal from last weekend's bet365 Gold Cup due to ground, having made notable progress before that on similar good ground in 3m Ascot handicaps, winning twice including latest in premier handicap in February; potentially a big player.

10/1

Form: 322-30 BF

Last run: 45 days

W: 11st 10lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 103

Form & Verdict
Dual hurdle winner last season (3m/2m) and ended that campaign with creditable second in quite valuable series final at Musselburgh (3m, good to soft); failed to build upon pleasing reappearance run when below form last month but still enters calculations here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

5

2nd Nov 2024

Good To Soft

3m 0f 70y

Class 3

13:58 Ayr

Faithfulflyer

10st 11lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Sandy Thomson

in touch with leaders, went third before 7th, not fluent 4 out

11/4

OUR TIP

Form: 14-74

Last run: 27 days

W: 12st 0lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 107

Form & Verdict
Low-mileage 4yo who won on debut in France last year; came off the bridle quite a long way from home and was just a respectable fourth when upped to 2m4f at Uttoxeter (soft) last month, his second handicap; needs to find a bit extra here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

4th Sep 2025

Good

3m 3f 9y

Class 4

18:00 Sedgefield

Kitesurfer

11st 9lb

J: Joe Anderson

T: Jamie Snowden

Another 3m2f winner who was in decent nick in spring/early summer but he finished tailed off behind Earth King at Uttoxeter in July and was pulled up in a first-time visor at Stratford last time; needs to get back on track.

12/1

5

20th Jul 2025

Good

2m 6f 7y

Class 4

16:58 Stratford

Kitesurfer

11st 10lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

Returned from a break in fine form and now goes in a visor after his disappointing show at Uttoxeter; capable of having a say off this mark and good to soft would be acceptable.

13/2

8th

6

8th Jul 2025

Good

2m 7f 70y

Class 3

19:30 Uttoxeter

Kitesurfer

11st 2lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

Came from off the pace to win at Ludlow (3m, good to soft) off 4lb lower; twice beaten off this mark in small fields since then but ran well; solid chance.

5/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £28.90
Straight Forecast £26.13
Tricast £412.09
Trifecta £265.60

Selections

TOPSPEED:

North Parade

SPOTLIGHT:

Montregard

LAMBOURN:

Kitesurfer

RP RATINGS:

Faithfulflyer

Daily Record:

Eden Mill

The Star:

Millie Of Mayo

Telegraph:

Montregard

The Guardian:

Montregard

The Sun:

Montregard

POSTDATA:

North Parade

The Times:

North Parade

Daily Mail:

North Parade

D Express:

North Parade

Daily Mirror:

North Parade