Newcastle Tuesday : 3 runners from Dodlands

Don't think we've had a bumper runner on the All Weather surface at Newcastle, so it's something of a first for the yard when Houxty Reiver (Craig Nichol) lines up in the opener on Tuesday at 12.50.
She finished well behind on his debut on Boxing Day on the turf course here, and will start as one of the outsiders. But she has shown a bit of ability at home so we hope she come on from that experience against 13 opponents in this race.
Scobie has booked Brian Hughes for his debutant Slugger (first time hood) and the Crawford Bros.' Paddy Elvis started favourite last time at Aintree so he is clearly thought to be better than that unplaced effort.
While Rebecca's Mister Moodles hails from a bumper-winning family and looks to be the stables selection (of three).

Houxty Reiver (big white blaze) tracks a couple of stable companions on a wintry morning

As we touch on below, we're now a bit wary of our in-form horses reappearing too quickly after their last race but Mousetrap Racing's Shoeshine Boy's last run was arguably his best to date. And it'll be 35 days since that run, so we'll see.

He has been allotted 12st 2lb in the 2m 6f handicap hurdle at 1.25pm but young Lewis Dobb will take off 5lb to help. He's not the biggest to be shouldering hefty burdens and the trip is probably a wee bit short of his best but......
Oh, and he went up 2lb recently for standing in his box at home but that was on the back of a couple of performers from his last race subsequently winning including his conqueror The Imposter. Solid form then.

Last time out winners Red Missile and Atomic Angel come into the mix while Kinneston Nick's Blazing Port ran well last time in 4th (hampered last), dropped 1lb, and could run well at an attractive price.
But the big danger is the Skelton-trained progressive young hurdler Turnaway who looks well handicapped here.

Good luck to 'Mouse' Young and his mates.

Shoeshine Boy

Gie It Laldy (Henry Brooke) will gain more experience of hurdling in the 2m 4½f novices' hurdle at 3.10. He showed that he has ability in his two bumper races but will start as one of the outsiders here after finishing down the field on hurdling debut at Kelso a month ago.
Jamie Snowdon's Passing Well finished 4th in a Grade 1 event at Newbury last time, but prior to that was an impressive winner on jumping debut. The one to beat.

Good luck to Simon & Angela Gillie.

Gie It Laldy

Earlier this month at Wetherby

A couple of Saturdays ago we sent two of our handicap hurdles down to Wetherby.
But both ran a bit flat and were well beaten in 6th place in their respective races  - Eternally Yours and Nights In Venice.

Each of the two had been in better form in their previous race and we tend to think that we've ran them too quickly with only a 2-3 week gap. Oh well.......