We have four declared runners for Newcastle on Tuesday, with none of them wanting the ground to dry out from the current forecast good, good to soft in places.
First up at 1.30.pm, Rory And Me who is already the winner of two bumpers, and has been placed on the flat three times, earning a BHA rating of 74. He will go to post for the novices hurdle over two miles, with his regular jockey Alain Cawley retaining the ride. Rory And Me had run well on both of his previous hurdle races when finishing second and third, but he took somewhat of a backward step at Wetherby 36 days ago, where he will have found the ground far too soft.
Geryville will take on five opponents at 2.0.pm, in a 0-135 handicap chase over two miles and seven furlongs, with his regular rider Alain Cawley retaining the ride. After arriving from France Geryville made his British debut for us when winning by an easy nine lengths at Wetherby in October on Charlie Hall day. He returned to that track in early December, and from a 10lb higher mark posted a very respectable second in better company. He can be excused his latest run at Wetherby 25 days ago when pulling up, as a post race endascopic examination revealed that he had mucus in his larynx.
Bandit D'Ainay was the winner of four chases in France before arriving at the yard in the autumn of last year. He showed very little in two starts at Sedgefield in December, but when last seen 24 days ago at Newcastle he signalled that he could soon be back in the winners enclosure when finishing eight and three quarter lengths behind his stablemate Knocknamana in fourth place. He now steps down in trip by four furlongs to two miles, the race is at 3.0.pm, a 0-100 handicap chase with Jack Hogan on board for the first time.
The ex French Le Grand Vert makes his stable debut for us at 4.0.pm, in 0-115 handicap hurdle over two miles and seven furlongs with Alain Cawley taking the ride. The six year old arrived at the yard in the autumn of last year having raced 13 times in France, where he placed in three of his chases, and won one of his seven hurdles races, and placing a further twice, he has only run on very soft, or heavy ground to date.
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Good luck to the connections, Richard Howard & Ben Howard, and The Golden Cuckoo.