Hexham & Northern Marts Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:17 | Winning time: 4m 6.25s

Cousin Oscar^h1⁵⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 127

5/1

Completed a Bangor double when winning on good-to-soft ground over an extended 2m in March. Sent off a short priced favourite on that occasion he disappointed in a hot event at Aintree on handicap debut next time. Wears a hood for the first time here.

Form: 33211P-

Captain Brown⁴³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Henry Brooke| T: James Moffatt| OR: 121| D

16/1

Successful over 2m1f at Cartmel (good) in August 2016. Had just the four outings since and has to bounce back from a heavy fall at Ayr when last seen in action in April.

Form: 51357F-

Beyondtemptation^h,t²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: Thomas Dowson⁽⁵⁾| T: J C Haynes| OR: 120| CD

3/1

Won by 59L when successful over 2m4f on good ground here last month. Was registering her second success here in three starts on that occasion and an interesting runner off a 7lb higher mark dropping in trip today.

Form: 2571-31

Verona Opera¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: B S Hughes| T: S R B Crawford| OR: 112| D

11/2

Finished runner-up the last twice most recently at Perth (good) over 2m last month. Races off a 7lb lower mark here and interesting with a leading jockey booked to ride.

Form: 25132-2

Desert Island Dusk^t¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Dale Irving⁽⁵⁾| T: M A Barnes| OR: 106| BF| CD

15/8

Winner of two of his 23 starts so far including over C&D 13 months ago. Beaten 8L over 2m4f here on good ground last month and winner of two of his three starts at this track in total.

Form: 14574-2

Pads²³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: Ross Chapman⁽⁷⁾| T: P A Kirby| OR: 104| BF

13/2

Finished 10L second when odds-on for a four runner selling hurdle over 2m4f at Worcester (good-to-firm) last month. Remains a maiden and making his debut for a new stable in this.

Form: 45P36-2

Forecasts

Desert Island Dusk (15/8), Beyondtemptation (3/1), Cousin Oscar (5/1), Verona Opera (11/2), Pads (13/2), Captain Brown (16/1)

COUSIN OSCAR contested a hot event when making his handicap debut last time out and he can gain compensation by claiming this small field Class 2 contest. The selection carries top weight here but represents a yard with an 18% strike-rate recently (5/28) and can get the better of course specialist Desert Island Dusk in this. Of the remainder Verona Opera is respected having been running well in recent times.