17:10 Hexham

Tuesday 5 September 2017

All14:1514:5015:2516:0016:3517:10

Follow At The Races On Instagram Amateur Riders' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 17:10 | Winning time: 4m 12.16s

Rapid Fritz²³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Miss C Walton| T: V Thompson| OR: 100

11/1

16 race maiden in Ireland who was tailed off on his final start for John Carr at Downpatrick (2m2f+) last month. Stable debut.

Form: 86-3280

Astrum^p,t¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Tabitha Worsley⁽⁵⁾| T: P W Middleton| OR: 96

9/1

Both hurdles victories for previous trainer Donald McCain came at a lowly level (maiden hurdle and a seller), and in truth hasn't shown much in five starts for this yard since mid April (fallen 11lb in the handicap).

Form: 17-3796

Bocasien Desbois²²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Mr Zac Baker| T: M Todhunter| OR: 95

7/1

Took five attempts to get off the mark in Irish Point-to-Points and his hurdles form so far has been underwhelming. Handicap debutant.

Form: P18670-

Bollin Line¹⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: Aaron Anderson⁽⁷⁾| T: L Egerton| OR: 92| D

6/1

Switched back from fences to break his hurdles duck at the 11th attempt at Market Rasen last month (7L winner of a 2m selling hurdle). Worth a try back at this level and any rain that falls shouldn't be a concern.

Form: 60P-561

Ashkoun^h,t⁷⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Mr E David⁽⁵⁾| T: Tim Vaughan| OR: 89

4/1

A winner on the Flat in France back in 2014, but the losing sequence over hurdles is now up to 15 and counting (maiden). However, not beaten all that far on his last two starts at Ffos Las and Newton Abbot and a useful rider booked.

Form: 2P/P4-24

Royal Etiquette^p,t²³

Age: 10| Weight: 11-1| J: Mrs Izzie Hill⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs L Hill| OR: 89

16/1

A three time Flat winner (not since August 2014) and despite being broadly consistent around the turn of the year over hurdles, has steadily regressed and the losing sequence over hurdles is now up to 14.

Form: 4/2225-5

Claude Carter^p⁵⁸

Age: 13| Weight: 11-0| J: Mr James King| T: A C Whillans| OR: 88| D

10/1

Old timer who is much loved at home by connections, but retains an enthusiasm for racing. Probably needed the race when fifth to Back To Balloo over C&D in June, and did okay in finishing fourth to subsequent winners at Market Rasen latest.

Form: 7770-54

Magnolia Ridge^v¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Mr W J Milburn⁽⁷⁾| T: M Walford| OR: 85| CD

4/1

C&D winner (May 2016) who hasn't been at his sharpest since finishing third to Morning Time at this track in early June. 2m here on good ground clearly suits, and his mark is a fair one, but his latest effort is a worry.

Form: 94-535P

Endeavor⁴³

Age: 12| Weight: 10-8| J: Miss Emma Sayer| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer| OR: 82| D

22/1

18 time career winner who has a bit of an affinity with Cartmel. He showed guts to out-battle Boss Des Mottes over fences at the Lakes venue in late May, but hasn't built on that and now returns to hurdles on a decent mark.

Form: 40-16P9

Mrs Grass^v¹⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 10-3| J: Amie Waugh⁽³⁾| T: J C Haynes| OR: 77| CD

14/1

Both career victories have come over C&D with some cut, and should some rain arrive, conditions will definitely suit. 1lb lower than when a ½L second to Catchthemoonlight at Carlisle in April she might strip fitter for a blow at Cartmel recently.

Form: 8642-78

Cherry Princess^t1⁶⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Liam Quinlan⁽⁷⁾| T: B Butterworth| OR: 72| D

22/1

Won twice on the Flat for Stuart Williams (1m2f and 2m), but not really threatened in 12 attempts for this stable (11 over hurdles). Plummeting in the weights, and now tongue tied. Worth a market check.

Form: 0/656P-7

Volcanic Jack¹⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: D B Hurst⁽⁷⁾| T: M C Chapman| OR: 71

66/1

Sole hurdles win came in August 2014 and has shown marginally better form over fences since (winning at Cartmel in June 2016), but broadly impossible to consider.

Form: 1-77P4P

L'Es Fremantle¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: K Yeoman⁽⁷⁾| T: M C Chapman| OR: 60

150/1

Stablemate of Volcanic Jack who has virtually no chance of making it 34th time lucky (career; 0 from 9 over hurdles) from out of the weights.

Form: P/0P-675

Forecasts

Ashkoun (4/1), Magnolia Ridge (4/1), Bollin Line (6/1), Bocasien Desbois (7/1), Astrum (9/1), Claude Carter (10/1), Rapid Fritz (11/1), Mrs Grass (14/1), Royal Etiquette (16/1), Cherry Princess (22/1), Endeavor (22/1), Volcanic Jack (66/1), L'Es Fremantle (150/1)

A fairly dire finale, with the top-weight (a recent recruit from Ireland) himself being a 16 race maiden. Many of these runners are simply impossible to fancy on either their current, or more often their career form. Mrs Grass lacks much scope, but a dual C&D winner with cut, she's difficult to rule out of contention from a lightweight. Magnolia Ridge is another C&D winner, but who needs to bounce back from a poor run at Market Rasen, whilst Bollin Line might feasibly find this race no stronger than the seller he landed at the same Lincolnshire venue last month. However, the Tim Vaughan trained ASHKOUN looks the pick. He himself is a 15 race hurdles maiden, but the booking of Tom David catches the eye, and his June form at Ffos Las and Newton Abbot reads well enough in the context of this race.