February 25 / 16.38 Newcastle

16.38

Good To Soft

Break From The Field With Vertem Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £5819.65
  • 2m 0f 190y
  • Class 3
  • 6 runners
SKY
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Break From The Field With Vertem Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Cloudy

5/1 (Won)

  • Win: £7.00

Form: 11-155 CD

Last run: 41 days

W: 11st 9lb

9 yo Mare

OR: 128

Form & Verdict
Prominent-racer who won her final two starts last season (2m, good to soft/heavy) and completed a hat-trick under Kit Alexander on her stable and seasonal debut at Haydock (2m3f, soft) in November; however, she's been well beaten the last twice and needs to get back on track.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

4

17th Feb 2024

Heavy

2m 2f 191y

Class 1

13:02 Haydock

Stainsby Girl

11st 2lb

J: Mr Kit Alexander

T: N W Alexander

made virtually all, went well clear from 3 out, ridden out run-in, unchallenged

5/1

5th

6

27th Jan 2024

Good

2m 0f 128y

Class 1

14:05 Doncaster

Stainsby Girl

11st 2lb

J: Mr Kit Alexander

T: N W Alexander

took keen hold, led, headed 2 out, weakened approaching last

25/1

0

2

16th Dec 2023

Soft

2m 4f 56y

Class 2

15:35 Cheltenham

Stainsby Girl

11st 9lb

J: Mr Kit Alexander

T: N W Alexander

Doughty 9yo, usually ridden these days by Kit Alexander; front-running sort who was back to her best when second of ten at Haydock (2m3f, good to soft) three weeks ago; effective in the mud but not proven over quite this far and probably too exposed to see off all of today's younger rivals.

16/1

Form: 112-12 D BF

Last run: 57 days

W: 12st 0lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 133

Form & Verdict
Made it 4-5 over hurdles (wins over 1m7f-2m3f on good to soft through to heavy) when scoring on his reappearance at Haydock in November; no match for the winner when second at Haydock since but he remains lightly raced and is a strong candidate in this line-up.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

2

14th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 0f 128y

Class 2

15:15 Doncaster

Jungle Jack

11st 13lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Donald McCain

made all

13/2

2

14th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 0f 128y

Class 2

15:15 Doncaster

Jungle Jack

11st 13lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Donald McCain

Twice finished runner-up at Kelso in the first half of this year (2m, soft/good to soft) and he returned from a break with an encouraging fourth at Bangor (2m3f, good to soft) last month; shaped as though he may improve for that latest run and he represents last year's winning yard; contender.

13/2

4th

4

13th Nov 2024

Good To Soft

2m 3f 123y

Class 2

15:35 Bangor-on-Dee

Jungle Jack

11st 7lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Donald McCain

Has pretty good 5-13 hurdling strike-rate that includes two course wins (2m/2m3f); not seen since his keeping-on second at Kelso (2m, good to soft) in first-time blinkers in May but remains on the same, workable mark; usual cheekpieces back on today.

6/1

OUR TIP

Form: -8248F CD

Last run: 20 days

W: 11st 8lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 127

Form & Verdict
Was down the field over hurdles at Musselburgh on New Year's Day and a mid-race faller there since on what is nowadays a rare chase outing; however, he's dropped down the weights and showed considerable spark as recently as November; this C&D winner is a likely player if back on song.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

6

16th May 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 35y

Class 4

16:20 Perth

Voix Du Reve

11st 9lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Iain Jardine

Grade 1 chase winner when trained by Willie Mullins; dual hurdle winner at up to 2m4f since; best on a sound surface; mostly out of sorts in the past year but is slipping to a dangerous mark.

16/1

5th

6

16th May 2024

Good To Soft

2m 4f 35y

Class 4

16:20 Perth

Voix Du Reve

11st 9lb

J: Conor O’Farrell

T: Iain Jardine

Grade 1 chase winner when trained by Willie Mullins; dual hurdle winner at up to 2m4f since; best on a sound surface; mostly out of sorts in the past year but is slipping to a dangerous mark.

16/1

3rd

5

19th Apr 2024

Soft

2m 4f 100y

Class 4

16:30 Ayr

Voix Du Reve

11st 6lb

J: Mr Dominic Hislop

T: Iain Jardine

Won this last year and now 8lb lower; market check advised but this 12yo has been below par on his last few runs; needs to turn things around.

25/1

Form: 47-210 D

Last run: 61 days

W: 10st 5lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 110

Form & Verdict
Runner-up on hurdle debut at Ayr (2m, good to soft) in October then won at Kelso (2m, soft); down the field on handicap debut at Wetherby (2m, good to soft) but should be capable of better than that; not written off.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

4

24th May 2026

Good

2m 5f 133y

Class 4

16:12 Kelso

Chapel Green

11st 4lb

J: Alan Doyle

T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

Won over C&D off a 6lb higher mark in September (good); has not fared quite as well since, although more encouraging run when 13l third of seven over 2m1f here last time (good); step back up in trip will suit.

7/1

3rd

2

6th May 2026

Good

2m 1f 14y

Class 4

16:32 Kelso

Chapel Green

11st 8lb

J: Alan Doyle

T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

Won over 2m5f here following a 163-day break last September (good) but rather disappointing since; on a good mark now, but a bit to prove.

14/1

Form: 11P-P0 D

Last run: 28 days

W: 11st 4lb

5 yo Mare

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
She won all three hurdle starts in France in spring 2021 and this is an easier assignment than she has faced on her three British starts; however, she's struggled each time and has something to prove.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

4

30th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 7f 198y

Class 3

14:52 Taunton

Fautinette

11st 6lb

J: Miss Lucy Turner

T: Venetia Williams

raced in last, outpaced early, switched left and headway from 4th, pressed leader after 5th, led 7th, 2 lengths ahead last, stayed on when headed towards finish

6/1

2nd

4

30th Dec 2024

Good To Soft

2m 7f 198y

Class 3

14:52 Taunton

Fautinette

11st 6lb

J: Miss Lucy Turner

T: Venetia Williams

Absent since below-par effort in French event (2m3f) six months ago; made all at Cartmel (3m1f) the time before, opening her British account on sole attempt beyond 2m5f; unexposed at this sort of distance.

6/1

11

27th Dec 2024

Good

3m 0f 121y

Class 2

13:20 Kempton

Fautinette

9st 11lb

T: Venetia Williams

Form: 4173 D

Last run: 20 days

W: 10st 10lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 115

Form & Verdict
Won Cork maiden hurdle (2m1f, good) last July on final Irish start and was a fair third of four in a warm Musselburgh novice (1m7f, good) three weeks ago on his second British start; improvement is possible from this lightly raced 5yo but he's not obviously well treated off his opening mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

4

16th May 2026

Good

2m 7f 70y

Class 2

18:50 Uttoxeter

Lihyan

11st 4lb

J: William Maggs

T: Rebecca Menzies

Two wins last season, the first a four-runner Huntingdon handicap in May (3m1f, good), the second a six-runner handicap at Newbury (3m, good to soft) in March; far from disgraced in a competitive race at Aintree last time and not without a chance despite career-high mark.

13/2

7th

22

11th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 149y

Class 1

13:20 Aintree

Lihyan

10st 9lb

J: William Maggs

T: Rebecca Menzies

Ridden last ten starts by William Maggs; seventh hurdle win when seeing off five rivals at Newbury (3m, good to soft) three weeks ago but even a 2lb nudge seems likely to stop him in this much more competitive scenario.

25/1

1st

5

20th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 57y

Class 3

15:32 Newbury

Lihyan

11st 2lb

J: William Maggs

T: Rebecca Menzies

Ridden last nine starts by William Maggs; rarely seen on soft ground; six-time winner, most recently last May; good placed efforts at about 3m four times in a row in October-December, before he failed to show in a Pertemps qualifier at Musselburgh (10-1) nearly seven weeks ago; best form this term was over C&D, so he's not entirely ruled out.

11/2

Non-runners

Fautinette, Lihyan

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £14.80
Straight Forecast £14.99
Trifecta £30.80

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Voix Du Reve

Telegraph:

Jungle Jack

Daily Mirror:

Lihyan

The Guardian:

Chapel Green

D Express:

Jungle Jack

The Star:

Jungle Jack

Daily Record:

Jungle Jack

RP Ratings:

Voix Du Reve

TOPSPEED:

Voix Du Reve

POSTDATA:

Voix Du Reve

The Times:

Voix Du Reve

Daily Mail:

Voix Du Reve

The Sun:

Voix Du Reve