17:05 Hexham

Saturday 16 June 2018

All14:1514:4515:2015:5516:3017:0517:40

Hadrian Healthcare Handicap Chase

Off time: 17:06 | Winning time: 6m 31.9s

Apache Pilot^t¹¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Dale Irving⁽³⁾| T: M A Barnes| OR: 98| CD

6/1

Hexham regular with form figures here since early 2017 reading 1,2,6,3,3,1. Running consistently well lately; 7L C&D winner on his penultimate start, so much respected despite a rising handicap mark.

Form: 63R-313

Chicago Outfit^p³⁵

Age: 13| Weight: 11-12| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: L Kerr| OR: 98| CD

17/2

Rolled back the years when springing a 40/1 shock over C&D in April (Gibbstown second), but held by Apache Pilot on recent course form; six-time C&D winner.

Form: 54PU1-5

Follow The Swallow^t,v¹⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Kielan Woods| T: D Killahena & G McPherson| OR: 98| D

4/1

Ran out when in contention on his sole previous Hexham start (3m, September 2016), and returned from a spell in the doldrums with a much improved run at Market Rasen earlier this month (2m5f good).

Form: 4/P8P-52

My Escapade¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Callum Bewley⁽³⁾| T: S Waugh| OR: 95

9/1

Back from 13 months off in rude health; unbeaten in two starts since her return to action (2m4f-2m6f hurdles), but the big question mark is whether or not she can replicate that type of form over fences (0 from 1).

Form: 577/3-11

Shine Away²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 94

20/1

Runner up here (2m4f) off a 6lb higher mark in October 2017, which followed her earlier win at Cartmel (2m5f good to soft); needs more based on her latest efforts, but this isn't a strong contest.

Form: 712P-24

Chanceiton^t¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Mr Cameron Wadge⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 91| D

8/1

Lightly raced under rules (hunters chase and hurdles) but equally doesn't appear to be overly progressive.

Form: 1221-56

Dartford Warbler¹⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 11-4| J: Henry Brooke| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 90

20/1

Not won since November 2015 and just 1 from 23 over fences; tailed off over 2m4f here earlier in the month, which was disappointing after a much more creditable fourth placed effort immediately prior.

Form: 4427-47

For Yes^b1,t⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: Sam Coltherd⁽⁵⁾| T: W Coltherd| OR: 89| CD

11/1

A three time point-to-point winner (in 22 starts), but a nine-race maiden under rules and posted a mulish effort in the 3m3f+ John Corbet Cup at Stratford last week; blinkers hastily added.

Form: 523-37P

Gibbstown^p³¹

Age: 12| Weight: 11-0| J: D R Fox| T: P Stafford| OR: 86| CD

14/1

Three of her five wins are over this C&D, and she saw them all off bar Chicago Outfit on her penultimate start (beaten 4½L); posted another solid run at Perth latest (3m), but raised a further 3lb.

Form: 84362-3

Inchcolm²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-10| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 82| CD

6/1

Made it 20th time lucky when driven right out to take a modest novices handicap chase over C&D in May (7/2); 3lb higher in a better race.

Form: 6P23P-1

Emkae^t¹⁴⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 10-6| J: B S Hughes| T: Mrs A C Hamilton| OR: 78| DWS

25/1

Not run under rules since February 2016, but has dropped 9lb in the weights. Raced in a couple of points last summer and competes following wind surgery with Brian Hughes booked to ride.

Form: 8F565/4-

Tommy O'dwyer^b1¹¹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-6| J: Lily Pinchin⁽⁷⁾| T: N Mechie| OR: 78| D

25/1

12-race maiden under rules and off the track since running at nearby Corbridge in February (3m5f); blinkers now applied and can only realistically be considered based upon one single piece of C&D form (third; June 2017).

Form: 763555-

Captain Sharpe^p²⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 10-2| J: Alison Clarke⁽⁷⁾| T: Kenny Johnson| OR: 74| CD

50/1

Made his 100th career start when beaten 3½L by Frankie Ballou at Sedgefield in March, but he's hardly prolific and hasn't won since a Thomas Dowson masterclass over C&D in May 2017.

Form: 625U-0P

Super Lunar^b1,t¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: H Hogarth| OR: 72

16/1

15-race maiden (0 from 4 over fences), and essentially appears to be devoid of ability; blinkers added.

Form: 25P4/55

Solway Trigger¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Ross Chapman⁽³⁾| T: Miss L Harrison| OR: 69

33/1

24-race maiden (0 from 6 over fences); pulled up over C&D earlier this month and evidently holds no chance from out of the handicap.

Form: 286P-6P

Blue Cove¹⁴

Age: 13| Weight: 10-0| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss L C Siddall| OR: 67

100/1

39-race maiden who is surely a lost cause now at the age of thirteen; no chance whatsoever from out of the handicap.

Form: 33/P36-0

Forecasts

Follow The Swallow (4/1), Inchcolm (6/1), Apache Pilot (6/1), Chanceiton (8/1), Chicago Outfit (17/2), My Escapade (9/1), For Yes (11/1), Gibbstown (14/1), Super Lunar (16/1), Dartford Warbler (20/1), Shine Away (20/1), Tommy O'dwyer (25/1), Emkae (25/1), Solway Trigger (33/1), Captain Sharpe (50/1), Blue Cove (100/1)

A big field, but the bulk of those at the foot of the weights could have a lap start and still not be competitive. The likes of Apache Pilot, Chicago Outfit and Gibbstown have all been (and continue to be) creditable performers over C&D and should never be dismissed lightly. However in an open race we'll look elsewhere and beyond the obvious. Follow The Swallow is of interest after a better effort latest, but the nod goes to the Sue Smith-trained SHINE AWAY who looks to be fairly treated off a mark of 94.