Murphy not giving up on Promise
Trainer Ferdy Murphy was left to make what he could of it after his Cheltenham Festival hope Another Promise put up a horror show for favourite-backers at Newcastle.
Expected to get the better of inferior rivals on his seasonal debut in the Gosforth Decorating & Building Services Handicap Hurdle, the nine-year-old instead finished last of 16.
The 4-7 favourite came off the bridle four out under Timmy Murphy and was soon beaten, casting grave doubts on his ability to make an impact in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Murphy said: "He is perfectly all right. Timmy said he was happy with him, but when he asked him to quicken up he felt like a three-mile chaser.
"Obviously he is better over fences, and all our horses are better for a run. We will see how he is in the next few days and then look at our options for Cheltenham.
"There are handicaps there for him, too. He was a good horse and he is still a good horse."
The winner was Polly Whitefoot (14-1), trained by Donald Whillans and ridden by his son Garry.
Murphy had better luck when Trisons Star (9-2) gained his third course success with a game effort in the saltwellsigns.co.uk Handicap Chase, again ridden by namesake Timmy.
The trainer went on: "He has his own way of doing it and Timmy said he keeps a little bit back for himself, but he seems to come alight here."
Leading amateur Tom Greenall completed a double on Ignotus and Realism in the first and second divisions of the Saltwell Signs Maiden Hurdle.
Ignotus finished runner-up at Catterick last time out, prompting an inquiry at which trainer Alan Swinbank was fined and conditional Thomas Thompson suspended, with the horse banned from running for 40 days.
It looked as if the 7-4 shot was going to have to be content with second spot again when Best Prospect came to challenge, but he found more to hold on by one and a half lengths.
Mick Easterby's Realism (15-8) was rather more impressive, quickening to lead approaching the penultimate flight and going away to score by 17 lengths from Diamond Frontier.
Easterby's son David said: "I think he won so well because it was such a bad race, so we will have to try him in a novice under a penalty and see how he goes there."
Nortonthorpe Lad (16-1) doubled up for the Easterby camp in the James Fletcher Marquee & Pavilion Hire Handicap Hurdle, but he was ridden by Dougie Costello, even though Greenall's father Lord Daresbury is one of the six-year-old's part-owners.
Greenall rode the stable's other runner Tracer, who finished fourth, and David Easterby went on: "Thomas came back with encouraging comments about Tracer at Musselburgh, so I thought I should leave him on him."
Cornerback (11-2) ran below expectations last time at Sedgefield, but she was back to her best in the Saltwell Signs Mares Only Maiden Hurdle and ran out a convincing six-length winner in the hands of Tony Dobbin.
