Newcastle tips for Saturday: Definitly Red to take centre stage in Rehearsal

David Metcalf | 26.11.2016

Definitly Red weighted to deliver in Rehearsal Chase

Definitly Red scored in good style on seasonal reappearance and looks weighted to follow-up in the valuable 2m 7f At The Races Rehearsal Handicap Chase on a cracking card at Newcastle (15.30).

The Brian Ellison trained gelding showed some smart form over hurdles when winning twice, including when beating the classy Fletchers Flyer by 1/2 a length in a Grade 2 contest at Haydock, and went on to develop into a smart chaser last season when winning twice.

Definitly Red also ran a blinder when runner-up to Black Hercules in a Listed contest at Warwick where he made a couple of costly mistakes but travelled well for much of the race and stayed on nicely to be beaten 2 3/4 lengths.

Well-treated on pick of form

Brian Ellison’s Definitly Red features among Coral’s Newcastle tips for Saturday.

The winner is a well-regarded sort who is now rated 158 having gone on to land the Grade 1 JLT Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and that gives the form a strong look.

Definitly Red also ran well when runner-up to subsequent RSA Chase winner Blaklion in a decent Grade 2 contest at Doncaster, and looked as good as ever on return to action at Carlisle last month when staying on strongly to land a handicap hurdle by 3 1/4 lengths.

The seven-year-old now switches back to the larger obstacles of a mark of 142 and that looks very exploitable judged on his runs behind the classy Black Hercules and Blaklion.

Petit Mouchoir the Fighting Fifth punt

The feature race on the card is the Fighting Fifth Hurdle (14.55) and Irish raider Petit Mouchoir looks to hold leading claims of providing in-form trainer Henry De Bromhead with back-to-back runnings of the 2m contest.

De Bromhead saddled Identity Thief to land the spoils 12 months ago for owners the Gigginstown House Stud and Petit Mouchoir also carries their famous maroon and white colours.

Full reasons why five-year-old looks value to get the better of favourite Sceau Royal can be found in our individual preview for this historic contest.

Petit Mouchoir can provide trainer Henry De Bromhead with back-to-back runnings in the Fighting Fifth.

Dan Emmett can collect for in-form trainer Scudamore

Trainer Michael Scudamore has his team in flying form at present and Dan Emmett can provide him with another winner in the 2m 7f novices’ handicap chase (14.20).

The six-year-old developed into a useful staying handicap hurdler last season, winning at Chepstow and running a cracker at the same venue when beaten just 1/2 a length by Arpege D’alene in a competitive 17-runner class 2 contest off a mark of 125.

Arpege D’alene is a well-regarded sort who went on to finish runner-up in the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival and the pair pulled seven lengths clear of some useful rivals.

It gives the form a strong look and suggests that Dan Emmett is potentially well-treated on chasing debut off a mark of 130 now dropped back down into class 3 company.