21:00 Hexham

Tuesday 22 May 2018

All18:0018:3019:0019:3020:0020:3021:00

Follow Hexham Racecourse On Twitter Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 21:00 | Winning time: 4m 26.03s

Hey Listen^p²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: S Mulqueen⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 99

9/2

Keeping on at the finish when beaten just ½L by stablemate The Compeller at Perth last month (2m soft). Whilst that was a step back in the right direction, he has 5lb more on his back tonight on a sounder surface.

Form: P6P042-

Back To Balloo¹¹

Age: 12| Weight: 11-10| J: Ryan Winks⁽⁵⁾| T: P Winks| OR: 97| CD

8/1

In solid form around this time in 2017, winning by 14L over C&D in June. Gradually being cut some slack by the assessor and with a recent run under his belt at Market Rasen could be more competitive.

Form: 69092-0

Oishin^t¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Dale Irving⁽³⁾| T: M A Barnes| OR: 95| D

11/4

His sole success came over 2m at Newcastle in December 2016 (soft), and in truth he lacks any real size to progress further. Back in more realistic company after being outclassed in a Class 3 handicap over C&D latest.

Form: 376/42-8

Russiantom^t¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: James Corbett⁽⁵⁾| T: S Corbett| OR: 94

66/1

Not shown much on which to build from in three starts in novice/maiden hurdles (2m4f-2m5f), but drops back in trip for her handicap debut, so we could learn more about her trip/level with the future in mind.

Form: 86P6-5

Slaney Craiglegacy^h¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽⁵⁾| T: H Burns| OR: 88

50/1

Ex-Irish trained mare (Elizabeth Doyle). 13-race maiden who most likely needed the race on stable debut at Market Rasen recently (2m good), but whilst dropped another 5lb since still doesn't make any form of appeal.

Form: P6309-0

Calypso Delegator^v¹³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Finian O'Toole⁽³⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 88

16/1

Made the frame in a selling hurdle at Catterick in December (2m gd/sft), beaten just over 2L by stablemate Shalamzar. Off since early January, so needs to return in tip-top condition and more if to make his mark.

Form: P/80038-

Kisumu²⁰¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Miss Becky Smith⁽⁵⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 88

15/2

Pulled up swiftly on his last start at Sedgefield in November (2m1f good), and if that wasn't off-putting enough, he's a 27-race maiden overall; 0 from 12 over hurdles.

Form: 4PP/37P-

Louloumills^t²⁴⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Thomas Dowson⁽³⁾| T: M A Barnes| OR: 87

8/1

Won just once in 24 career starts, over 2m4f at Sedgefield in April 2017. Off since mid-September, but after a difficult winter this Cumbrian based trainer has his string in much better shape of late.

Form: 253765-

Lucarno Dancer^h,t¹⁷⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: Callum Bewley⁽³⁾| T: R Shiels| OR: 83| BF| CD

14/1

Lightly raced mare for her age who seems to enjoy her forays to Hexham, and was a comfortable well supported 4½L winner on soft ground over C&D in November. 6lb higher today, but handles good ground so couldn't be ruled out.

Form: 8/29715-

Cherry Princess^t¹⁷⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Sean Quinlan| T: B Butterworth| OR: 81| CD

33/1

Won twice on the Flat for Stuart Williams (1m2f and 2m), and struck for the first time over hurdles when a decisive 3L C&D winner in September (2m good to soft). Out of sorts when last seen in action in November.

Form: 6P/718P-

Rock N'stones^p¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Ross Chapman⁽³⁾| T: G Boanas| OR: 72

9/2

Unconvincing sort who isn't a fluent hurdler, but fared slightly better in a C&D seller here earlier in the month (fifth). However, is an 18-race hurdles maiden for whom wind surgery has seemingly had a minimal impact.

Form: 9PP96-5

Forecasts

Oishin (11/4), Rock N'stones (9/2), Hey Listen (9/2), Kisumu (15/2), Back To Balloo (8/1), Louloumills (8/1), Lucarno Dancer (14/1), Calypso Delegator (16/1), Cherry Princess (33/1), Slaney Craiglegacy (50/1), Russiantom (66/1)

Hey Listen must be considered as short-list material despite a rise in the weights for his latest solid effort at Perth, but he does have questions to answer with regards his effectiveness on a sound racing surface. Back To Balloo is a noteworthy horse at more significant odds based upon the form he showed around this time last year, whilst the diminutive Oishin should be suited by this ease in grade. However, we'll side with the lightly raced mare LUCARNO DANCER who landed some tidy bets when scoring decisively over C&D in November (soft), but is crucially also effective on genuine good ground.