Newcastle takes centre stage live on Sky Sports Racing on Thursday with a seven-race jumps fixture which gets under way at 11.55am after the track passed an early-morning inspection.
12.30 Newcastle – Wetherby winner East Street faces Best Trition
The Living North Magazines Handicap Chase (12.30) looks a tricky puzzle to solve with seven closely-knit contenders lining up over three miles.
The Sue Smith-trained East Street scored for the second time over fences when narrowly seeing off the reopposing Best Trition at Wetherby last month and should be in the mix again off a 3lb higher mark.
Olly Murphy’s Best Trition is fancied to go close again especially if jumping with more fluency under Dylan Johnston, while Canelo has been dropping in the weights since joining the Ben Haslam team and will find this easier than when sixth of seven at Uttoxeter in September.
1.05 Newcastle – Ikarak tops a field of seven
Ikarak looks to follow up his last-time-out win in the Living North Christmas Fair Novices’ Hurdle (1.05) as he makes his debut for trainer Anthony Charlton.
Charlton has taken over the reins from the suspended Milton Harris and Ikarak looks to have a strong chance of providing him with a first winner. Having got off the mark over hurdles at Worcester in October, he should prove hard to beat with Bradley Harris claiming 5lb.
Tim Easterby’s Workhardplayhard, a point winner in February, made an encouraging hurdling debut when second to Let’s Go Joe at Sedgefield last month and, with that experience behind him, could have more to offer up another two furlongs in distance to 2m 6f under William Easterby.
Both Barrels caught the eye when fourth behind the promising Johnnywho on his hurdling debut over 2m 4f at Carlisle and must be feared up in trip for Donald Whillans and Craig Nichol.
1.40 Newcastle – Dare To Shout and Lebowski headline
Dare To Shout tops a small but select field for the Living North Live Handicap Hurdle (1.40) over 2m 1f.
Ann Hamilton is looking forward to welcoming back stable star Tommy’s Oscar at Doncaster at the weekend and looks to have a fine chance of a winner with top-weight Dare To Shout. The six-year-old has been steadily progressive over hurdles, winning three of his six starts, including over this course and distance, but will need to bounce back from a heavy defeat behind Crambo at Aintree in October.
Lucinda Russell’s Lebowski showed some useful form when trained by Michael Scudamore and, having finished fifth on stable debut at Chepstow in October, should strip fitter for his new connections.
Of the others, War Soldier makes his reappearance for Sandy Thomson, while Horn Cape won on his penultimate start at Sedgefield but will need to improve to feature in this higher grade.
Thursday racecards | Latest Sky Bet odds
Watch every race from Newcastle plus French racing from Cagnes sur Mer and Chantilly live on Sky Sports Racing on Thursday December 14.
Source : Sky Sports
