Virgin Bet Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) (Div 1).
Newcastle · Thursday, 15 Jan · 15:45
· 2m 190y
· Class 4
· TURF
WEIGHEDIN
Status
11:45
Off time
12
Runners
Good to Soft (Good in places)
Going
🎯 Tipster's 1·2·3
Sporting Life pick
🏆 Top pick
GAELIC ROVER (IRE
🥈 Second
SO PROUD (IRE
🥉 Third
WHO'S GLEN (FR
Betting forecast
Market prediction · 12 runners · sorted by price
01 · 🏆 FAV
1.30
30/100
02 · 🥈 2nd
4.33
10/3
03 · 🥉 3rd
6.50
11/2
04 · —
41
40/1
05 · —
67
66/1
06 · —
67
66/1
07 · —
81
80/1
08 · —
81
80/1
09 · —
101
100/1
10 · —
101
100/1
11 · —
151
150/1
12 · —
251
250/1
Sporting Life forecast prices — published the night before the race. Top 3 highlighted as market favourites.
Runners
| Pos | No. | Dr | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Age | Wgt | Best decimal odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12th | 1 | — |
Art Dancer (G)
Placed in a couple of bumpers at Sedgefield and should make a hurdler, albeit it's likely that he'll come into his own when faced with a stiffer test in due course.
|
William Maggs | C Grant | 5 | 73.5 kg |
81
80/1
|
| 11th | 2 | — |
Big Jon (G)
[H]
Inexpensive gelding who hasn't shown enough in a couple of bumpers to suggest that he'll be a force on this hurdles debut.
|
Ross Chapman | R Menzies | 6 | 73.5 kg |
151
150/1
|
| 1st | 3 | — |
Gaelic Rover (G)
FAV
Showed promise despite falling both starts in Irish points and has shaped well in both starts over hurdles, stepping forward from his debut third when runner-up over C&D last time. Form looks solid and he should make a bold bid to go one b…
|
B S Hughes | Ruth Jefferson | 5 | 73.5 kg |
1.30
30/100
|
| 4th | 4 | — |
Intenzo (G)
[H]
Down the field sole start for Mary Doyle in Ireland and he was safely held on return/stable debut in a Catterick maiden hurdle a fortnight ago.
|
Jamie Hamilton | M Walford | 5 | 73.5 kg |
101
100/1
|
| 10th | 5 | — |
Made All (G)
[T]
Fair three-time winner on the Flat last year and while he offered something to work on switched to hurdles at Sedgefield last month, it's likely that he'll be better off when handicapping in due course.
|
Tom Midgley | S England | 5 | 73.5 kg |
67
66/1
|
| 5th | 6 | — |
So Proud (G)
:Shirocco gelding who was well supported when making a winning start in bumper at Haydock in May for Don Cantillon. Since changed hands for £100,000 and he rates an interesting prospect now tackling hurdles for his new yard.
|
Jonjo O'Neill Jr. | J & A O'Neill | 5 | 73.5 kg |
4.33
10/3
|
| 7th | 7 | — |
Swingforthefence (G)
Brother to dual bumper winner/useful 2m hurdle winner Royal Infantry, and half-brother to fair hurdler/chaser Sovereign Gold. Showed ability when third on debut in a Sedgefield bumper last spring but he's another who will probably be seen …
|
Sean Quinlan | J Candlish | 5 | 73.5 kg |
41
40/1
|
| 9th | 8 | — |
Takeyoutotheisland (G)
From a good jumping family but efforts in a bumper and most recently on hurdles debut at Carlisle have lacked spark.
|
Bruce Lynn | N W Alexander | 6 | 73.5 kg |
101
100/1
|
| 3rd | 9 | — |
Who's Glen (G)
Useful Flat winner at his best for Andrew Balding in 2025. Changed hands for just 22,000 gns but he didn't shape at all badly when third starting out in this sphere at Musselburgh (19.8f, good to soft). Open to improvement.
|
Theo Gillard | D McCain Jnr | 5 | 73.5 kg |
6.50
11/2
|
| 8th | 10 | — |
Berwick Law (M)
[H]
Hooded and hinted at promise when fifth of 8 in bumper at Ayr but subsequent hurdles bow at Catterick was uninspiring.
|
Craig Nichol | I Jardine | 5 | 70.3 kg |
251
250/1
|
| 6th | 11 | — |
Midnight Bella (M)
Made a discouraging start to her hurdling career at Wetherby on Boxing Day and it's easy enough to look elsewhere.
|
Peter Kavanagh | J Parkinson & S Smith | 5 | 70.3 kg |
81
80/1
|
| 2nd | 12 | — |
Roarin' Success (M)
Fairly useful handicapper on the Flat (stays 1¼m), successful once in 2025. Sold for 10,000 gns later in October and failed to land a blow on recent hurdles debut at Catterick. Who's Glen appears to be the stable No 1.
|
Charlie Maggs | D McCain Jnr | 6 | 70.3 kg |
67
66/1
|
Betting forecast: Gaelic Rover (30/100), So Proud (10/3), Who's Glen (11/2), Swingforthefence (40/1), Roarin' Success (66/1), Made All (66/1), Midnight Bella (80/1), Art Dancer (80/1), Intenzo (100/1), Takeyoutotheisland (100/1), Big Jon (150/1), Berwick Law (250/1)
Prize money
| Position | Prize |
|---|---|
| P1 | 5446.0 GBP |
| P2 | 2509.0 GBP |
| P3 | 1254.0 GBP |
| P4 | 628.0 GBP |