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Horse profile

News Item (IRE)

12yo gelding (at last run, Mar 2010) · Last trainer George Stewart · Last owner Basil Blackshaw
by Old Vic (GB) out of The Bluebell Polka (IRE) (Strong Gale)
24 runs · 6 courses · from Dec 2005
As at 5 Nov 2026 · KTB archive: GB, Ireland & France · 2005–present, updated daily
No run recorded since 3 Mar 2010 — 6,090 days ago. Our archive can't say whether the horse is still in training.
Last run Mar 2010 2 wins · Downpatrick Last raced off OR 110
KTB Profile

News Item (IRE) is 2 from 24. Hasn't won since Feb 2007.

Based on 24 archived runs · updated 5 Nov 2026
Official rating110↓ 6lb off peak
110 95–116

KTB Speed and Rating

KTB Speed

No KTB Speed figures for this horse. The engine scores GB and Irish racing from Oct 2016; runs elsewhere, or earlier, have no figure.

KTB Speed v1 · batch 15 Sep 2026 · GB & Irish racing only · 0 figures from 0 runs · a record, not a forecast

KTB Rating

Best recent KTB Rating 103C the best of the last 3 rated runs · Fairyhouse, 9 Feb 2010 Official rating 110 at the last run, 3 Mar 2010

What the horse achieved in each race, in pounds on the official-rating scale, from the weight carried, the lengths beaten and the race's own level solved across the archive — never the market, never the official rating as a starting point. The headline is the best of the horse's last three rated runs on that code — its best recent day. The KTB Rating on a racecard is a different reading of the same figures: the level the horse has been running to, an average of up to its last six runs with the latest counting most, so the two can differ. A, B or C on a run is how much known form was in that race. What this means →

Jumps 16 figures · best 124C · median 101
GoingRunsBestMedianSince 5 Nov 2025
Heavy12124C100—
Soft3107C101—
Good to Soft1———
DistanceRunsBestMedianSince 5 Nov 2025
2m1f – 2m4f6107A97.5—
2m5f – 3m4111C99—
Over 3m4124C105.5—
1m5f – 2m2110A100.5—

Of 24 runs looked at, 8 have no figure: did not complete (or a non-runner row) (8).

KTB Rating v1 · batch 3 Oct 2026 · GB & Irish racing only · 16 figures from 24 runs · as at 4 Oct 2026 · a record, not a forecast

Both figures are KTB's own, computed from the archive; no vendor rating enters either. Every run's figure is on its form line below with its grade. Grades measure how much the archive could see, never the merit of the run.

Run style is derived from in-running commentary, which our data provider does not supply for this horse's races.

Pedigree intelligence

Sire
Old Vic (GB)

Progeny in our archive have won 11.7% of 6,916 runs since Jan 2008 (630 horses).

GoingRunsWinsSRvs sireThis horse
Firm30413.3%+1.6—
Good to Firm3974411.1%−0.6—
Good1,79724213.5%+1.8—
Good to Soft1,1691159.8%−1.91 from 4
Soft2,05324912.1%+0.40 from 5
Heavy1,44715710.9%−0.81 from 15
Standard (AW)2300%−11.7—
Distance (all codes)RunsWinsSRvs sireThis horse
1m – 1m1f400%−11.7—
1m2f – 1m4f2428.3%−3.4—
1m5f – 2m1,49917311.5%−0.20 from 4
2m1f – 2m4f2,24926011.6%−0.10 from 7
2m5f – 3m2,39828411.8%+0.10 from 5
Over 3m7429212.4%+0.72 from 8

Flat and jumps together (all codes) · since Jan 2008 · as at 5 Nov 2026 · rows under 30 runs muted · win % is the measure, a record not a forecast

Dam
The Bluebell Polka (IRE) (Strong Gale)

No other produce in our archive. It holds racing in Great Britain, Ireland and France from 2005, so siblings racing elsewhere won’t appear here.

Record by conditions

GoingRunsWinsSR£1
Heavy 15 1 7% −10.00
Soft 5 0 0% −5.00
Good to Soft 4 1 25% +3.00

CourseRunsWinsSR£1
Navan 8 0 0% −8.00
Downpatrick 5 2 40% +7.00
Fairyhouse 4 0 0% −4.00
Naas 3 0 0% −3.00
Down Royal 3 0 0% −3.00
Punchestown 1 0 0% −1.00

DistanceRunsWinsSR£1
Over 3m 8 2 25% +4.00
2m1f – 2m4f 7 0 0% −7.00
2m5f – 3m 5 0 0% −5.00
1m5f – 2m 4 0 0% −4.00

JockeyRunsWinsSR£1
John Cullen 8 0 0% −8.00
Johnny Farrelly 3 1 33% +2.00
A E Lynch 3 0 0% −3.00
Niall P Madden 1 0 0% −1.00
M P Butler 1 0 0% −1.00
Robbie Power 1 0 0% −1.00
Robbie Colgan 1 0 0% −1.00
Mr J P McKeown 1 0 0% −1.00
Adrian Lane 1 0 0% −1.00
J R Barry 1 0 0% −1.00
Davy Russell 1 1 100% +6.00
G T Hutchinson 1 0 0% −1.00
Andrew J McNamara 1 0 0% −1.00

HeadgearRunsWinsSR£1
None 21 2 10% −9.00
Blinkers 3 0 0% −3.00

SeasonRunsWinsSR£1
2010 4 0 0% −4.00
2009 4 0 0% −4.00
2008 4 0 0% −4.00
2007 6 1 17% −1.00
2006 5 1 20% +2.00
2005 1 0 0% −1.00

TypeRunsWinsSR£1
Chase 17 2 12% −5.00
Hurdle 7 0 0% −7.00

Splits include every sample, however small — muted rows are under 3 runs. A one-from-one record is a fact, not a trend: read the Runs column before the strike rate.

Form

DateCourseRace PosBtn Wgt ORKTB Jockey SP
2010 · 4 runs
03 Mar 10+7d Downpatrick Toals Bookmakers Ulster Grand National E.B.F. Handicap Chase (0-130) 3m4f · Good To Yielding · 15 ran PU/15 — 10-9 110— John Cullen 16/1
24 Feb 10+15d Fairyhouse Family Fun At Easter Novice Handicap Hurdle (80-102) 2m4f · Heavy · 13 ran 8/13 19 11-11 10095C John Cullen 20/1
09 Feb 10+3d Fairyhouse Solerina's Restaurant Handicap Hurdle (80-109) 2m4f · Heavy · 16 ran 14/16 23 11-5 102103C John Cullen 25/1
06 Feb 10+55d Naas Naas Handicap Chase 2m · Heavy · 11 ran PU/11 — 10-5 111— Niall P Madden 20/1
2009 · 4 runs
13 Dec 09+291d Navan Midland Waste Handicap Chase (0-140) 3m · Heavy · 12 ran 8/12 shd 9-6 11283A M P Butler 20/1
25 Feb 09+21d Downpatrick Powers Ulster Grand National E.B.F Handicap Chase (0-123) 3m4f · Yielding · 15 ran 10/15 3½ 11-5 115101C John Cullen 8/1
04 Feb 09+11d Down Royal Bank Of Ireland Business & Retail Banking Hurdle 2m4f · Heavy · 17 ran 6/17 7 11-0 102107A John Cullen 20/1
24 Jan 09+332d Navan Navan Golf Club Open For Membership Hurdle 2m · Heavy · 9 ran 4/9 1 11-5 102110A John Cullen 12/1
2008 · 4 runs
27 Feb 08+10d Downpatrick Powers Ulster Grand National EBF Handicap Chase (0-123) 3m4f · Good To Yielding · 15 ran UR/15 — 11-3 115— Johnny Farrelly 13/2
17 Feb 08+11d Navan ladbrokes.com Boyne Hurdle (Grade 2) 2m5f · Soft · 7 ran 7/7 17 11-3 10291C John Cullen 100/1
06 Feb 08+11d Down Royal Bank Of Ireland Business & Retail Hurdle 2m4f · Heavy · 18 ran 9/18 24 11-0 10296C A E Lynch 14/1
26 Jan 08+49d Navan Navan Golf Club Open For Membership Hurdle 2m · Heavy · 27 ran 12/27 4 11-5 10291C John Cullen 20/1
2007 · 6 runs
08 Dec 07+13d Navan Forelock Security Handicap Chase (0-140) 3m · Heavy · 13 ran 5/13 3 11-2 116111C A E Lynch 3/1F
25 Nov 07+253d Navan williamhill.ie Troytown Handiap Chase (0-150) 3m · Yielding · 16 ran 4/16 3 9-10 116107C A E Lynch 16/1
17 Mar 07+17d Down Royal Tennent's No.1 Chase 3m2f · Yielding To Soft · 6 ran F/6 — 10-7 116— Johnny Farrelly 7/4
28 Feb 07+38d Downpatrick Powers Ulster Grand National EBF Handicap Chase (0-123) 3m4f · Soft To Heavy · 15 ran 1/15 10-5 103124C Johnny Farrelly 4/1F
21 Jan 07+14d Fairyhouse Ladbrokes 1800 777 888 Handicap Chase (0-116) 3m1f · Heavy · 18 ran 2/18 18 11-2 101101C Robbie Power 14/1
07 Jan 07+21d Naas Carvery Restaurant At Naas Handicap Chase (0-130) 2m4f · Soft To Heavy · 14 ran 9/14 2½ 10-5 10585C Robbie Colgan 12/1
2006 · 5 runs
17 Dec 06+243d Navan Wesco Handicap Chase (0-109) 2m4f · Heavy · 13 ran F/13 — 11-5 105— Mr J P McKeown 20/1
18 Apr 06+37d Fairyhouse Menolly Homes Handicap Chase (0-116) 3m1f · Good To Yielding · 26 ran PU/26 — 10-10 103— Adrian Lane 12/1
12 Mar 06+11d Naas EBF Novice Handicap Chase Final 3m · Heavy · 12 ran PU/12 — 10-2 104— J R Barry 7/1
01 Mar 06+10d Downpatrick Powers Whiskey EBF Ulster National (0-123) 3m4f · Good To Yielding · 15 ran 1/15 10-9 95110C Davy Russell 6/1J
19 Feb 06+70d Navan Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Chase (0-116) 2m4f · Soft To Heavy · 12 ran 4/12 1 10-7 9799C G T Hutchinson 25/1
2005 · 1 run
11 Dec 05 Punchestown Ryan's Event Cleaners Novice Chase 2m · Soft · 9 ran PU/9 — 11-12 —— Andrew J McNamara 20/1

Quick answers

How many races has News Item won?
News Item (IRE) won 2 of 24 archived starts between 2005 and 2010, a strike rate of 8.3%. Placed 3 times in total (12.5% of starts).
Who trained News Item?
News Item (IRE) was trained by George Stewart on the most recent run on record, at Downpatrick on 3 March 2010.
Who is News Item's sire?
News Item (IRE) is by Old Vic (GB) out of The Bluebell Polka (IRE), whose sire is Strong Gale.
What going does News Item prefer?
News Item (IRE) has the best record on good to soft going: 1 win from 4 starts (25%). Only going bands with at least three archived starts are read, so this is a direction rather than a settled preference.
What is News Item's official rating?
The most recent official rating on record is 110, from the run on 3 March 2010. The highest on record is 116.
What is News Item's sire's record?
Old Vic (GB)'s progeny in our archive have won 11.7% of 6,916 runs since Jan 2008 (630 horses), Flat and jumps together.

Record shown from December 2005. Our archive holds racing in Great Britain, Ireland and France from January 2005. Any runs before that, or in other countries, are not in it. In-running comments are available from 2024 onward.