March 31 / 16.00 Newcastle

16.00

Good To Soft

Border Minstrel New Menu Handicap Hurdle

  • Prize money: £5650.67
  • 2m 4f 62y
  • Class 3
  • 6 runners
SKY
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Border Minstrel New Menu Handicap Hurdle

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

7/2 (Won)

  • Win: £2.80
  • Place: £1.60

Form: 3-2725 D

Last run: 54 days

W: 11st 2lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 118

Form & Verdict
Only win was in a four-runner Musselburgh maiden hurdle in December 2024 (2m4f, good to soft); best run this season when second over same C&D in January (good to soft); chance on that form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

7

15th May 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 3

18:20 Aintree

Smokeringinthedark

10st 13lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Nicky Richards

Lightly raced and improving; beat Fingal's Hill by 2l at Newcastle (2m4f) before finding only one too good upped to Class 2 level at Haydock (3m, good); didn't fail for stamina that day but he'll be fine back in trip; player.

9/2

2nd

9

15th Apr 2026

Good

3m 0f 58y

Class 2

16:25 Haydock

Smokeringinthedark

10st 7lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Nicky Richards

Maiden winner who opened his account in handicaps with a comfortable win at Newcastle (2m4f, good to soft) two weeks ago; a 3lb rise seems fair for all that it wasn't a strong race, and his yard can do little wrong right now.

3/1

1st

5

31st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 62y

Class 3

16:00 Newcastle

Smokeringinthedark

11st 2lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Nicky Richards

Only win was in a four-runner Musselburgh maiden hurdle in December 2024 (2m4f, good to soft); best run this season when second over same C&D in January (good to soft); chance on that form.

7/2

2/1

  • Place: £1.40

Form: -11252 CD

Last run: 17 days

W: 12st 0lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 130

Form & Verdict
This race was one of the three he won last season, all of them on good or good to soft at this trip; on his last winning mark and, after his running-on second over 2m1f here last time, should go well again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

3

15th May 2026

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 3

18:20 Aintree

Fingals Hill

11st 5lb

J: Callum Bewley

T: Peter Atkinson

5lb higher than when a 6l winner of this last year, beating Ike Sport; returns on the back of two solid efforts at Newcastle; chance.

6/1

2nd

1

31st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 62y

Class 3

16:00 Newcastle

Fingals Hill

12st 0lb

J: Callum Bewley

T: Peter Atkinson

This race was one of the three he won last season, all of them on good or good to soft at this trip; on his last winning mark and, after his running-on second over 2m1f here last time, should go well again.

2/1

2nd

1

14th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 190y

Class 3

16:00 Newcastle

Fingals Hill

12st 0lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Peter Atkinson

Won back to back at Aintree & Hexham (both 2m4f) last summer, rising to a career-high mark of 134; kicked off 2026 with a solid effort at Doncaster (2m4f, soft; runner-up) and he's capable of bouncing back from a lesser effort at Kelso since.

5/1

Form: 6484U4 D

Last run: 31 days

W: 11st 2lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 118

Form & Verdict
Three wins last season, the latest over 2m5f off a 5lb higher mark on good to soft at Kelso in March; hasn't done quite as well this term, but these conditions suit and is back on a decent mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

1

14th May 2026

Good

2m 4f 35y

Class 4

15:08 Perth

Bold Light

12st 1lb

J: Alan Doyle

T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

Won a Class 2 at Kelso (2m5f, good to soft; from 7lb higher) in March 2025, but has failed to match that level of form since (0-9); wasn't beaten too far over C&D (Class 3; fourth of seven) three weeks ago, and a similar effort would give him a shout in this added tongue-tie; 2-10 for Alan Doyle.

4/1

4th

9

24th Apr 2026

Good

2m 4f 35y

Class 3

15:47 Perth

Bold Light

11st 0lb

J: Alan Doyle

T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

Three wins last season; hasn't scaled the same heights this time round, although latest third of six at Newcastle was a bit more encouraging and he's well handicapped if staging a full-scale revival.

12/1

3rd

7

31st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 62y

Class 3

16:00 Newcastle

Bold Light

11st 2lb

J: Jack Power

T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

Three wins last season, the latest over 2m5f off a 5lb higher mark on good to soft at Kelso in March; hasn't done quite as well this term, but these conditions suit and is back on a decent mark.

15/2

Form: 231140

Last run: 11 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 118

Form & Verdict
Has won five of his 17 races over hurdles, including at Haydock (2m3f, good to soft) and off 7lb lower at Carlisle (2m1f, good to soft) this season; not at his best on last two runs but could bounce back.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

4

(6)

18th May 2026

Good

1m 6f 32y

Class 5

15:30 Carlisle

Haarar

9st 2lb

J: Tom Eaves

T: Sam England

Generally productive over hurdles but last few efforts leave a doubt over whether he'll be in top form returned to the Flat for first time since winning at Redcar (1m6f, soft) in November 2024.

14/1

4th

6

31st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 62y

Class 3

16:00 Newcastle

Haarar

11st 2lb

J: Jonathan England

T: Sam England

Has won five of his 17 races over hurdles, including at Haydock (2m3f, good to soft) and off 7lb lower at Carlisle (2m1f, good to soft) this season; not at his best on last two runs but could bounce back.

5/1

10th

2

20th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 1f 87y

Class 2

15:22 Musselburgh

Haarar

11st 12lb

J: Jonathan England

T: Sam England

Well beaten at Catterick last month but perhaps that run came too soon, just six days after he completed a double in good style at Carlisle (2m1f, good to soft); third in this last year and he could be involved.

12/1

Form: 1221-P C

Last run: 139 days

W: 11st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 126

Form & Verdict
Won a Wetherby novice (2m, good to soft) and a Hexham handicap off 6lb lower (2m, good to soft) last season; pulled up at Bangor in November on only start this term; unproven at this trip but an interesting contender.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

9th May 2026

Good

2m 4f 28y

Class 3

17:42 Hexham

Lawrenny

11st 9lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Jennie Candlish

Useful novice two seasons ago, last win over 2m here in March 2025; below his best on both starts last season; cheekpieces now tried; needs to bounce back.

14/1

5th

3

31st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 62y

Class 3

16:00 Newcastle

Lawrenny

11st 10lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Jennie Candlish

Won a Wetherby novice (2m, good to soft) and a Hexham handicap off 6lb lower (2m, good to soft) last season; pulled up at Bangor in November on only start this term; unproven at this trip but an interesting contender.

15/2

OUR TIP

Form: F-24P7

Last run: 80 days

W: 11st 10lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 126

Form & Verdict
Creditable second in a Kelso handicap chase in October (2m1f, good); not done as well since and was well beaten back over hurdles at Kempton in January (2m, good; cheekpieces back on) on latest start; hood now tried; bit to prove.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

2

31st Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 62y

Class 3

16:00 Newcastle

Rare Edition

11st 10lb

J: David Bass

T: Charlie Longsdon

Creditable second in a Kelso handicap chase in October (2m1f, good); not done as well since and was well beaten back over hurdles at Kempton in January (2m, good; cheekpieces back on) on latest start; hood now tried; bit to prove.

9/2

1

25th Oct 2025

Good

2m 1f 14y

Class 3

16:30 Kelso

Rare Edition

12st 0lb

J: David Bass

T: Charlie Longsdon

Faller when last seen but earlier novice chase form featured a success (2m, good) when fresh; still has low mileage over fences and warrants respect off a workable mark on reappearance.

7/4

Non-runners

Great Pepper

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £8.30
Straight Forecast £8.65
Trifecta £25.90

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Fingal's Hill

The Times:

Smokeringinthedark

Telegraph:

Lawrenny

POSTDATA:

Haarar

D Express:

Bold Light

The Star:

Smokeringinthedark

RP RATINGS:

Fingal's Hill

TOPSPEED:

Fingal's Hill

THE NORTH:

Fingal's Hill

The Guardian:

Fingal's Hill

Daily Mail:

Fingal's Hill

Daily Mirror:

Fingal's Hill

The Sun:

Fingal's Hill

Daily Record:

Fingal's Hill