15:00 Hexham

Monday 17 September 2018

All14:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:3017:00

Daily Tips Available On attheraces.com Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:00 | Winning time: 5m 1.1s

Vivant^b⁸^{(ex 7)}

Age: 5| Weight: 12-5| J: Mr Tommie M O'Brien⁽⁵⁾| T: T Lacey| OR: 117| D

13/8

On a hat-trick carrying a 7lb penalty for her all the way 14L mares handicap hurdle win at Fontwell (2m5f+) last week; claimer ridden today in order to ease the burden; solid stamina wise and should go close.

Form: P-13311

Jump For Dough²²⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Thomas Willmott⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 117

7/1

Improving; fast and fluent hurdler who struck up a good relationship with this rider last season (dual 3m Musselburgh scorer); off since February and reappears on quick ground (has won on good); likely to take on Vivant for the early lead.

Form: 344115-

Judge Earle²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-11| J: P J Brennan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 116| D

10/1

Best suited by quick ground; ready winner of a Perth maiden (2m4f) in July, but clobbered by the assessor thereafter and appears increasingly vulnerable as a result; disappointing in a Worcester claimer latest.

Form: 3P0-133

Sigurd^p⁵⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Danny Cook| T: Miss J E Foster| OR: 114

66/1

Won just once in 19 starts; for Jonjo O'Neill at Market Rasen (2m4f+) in April 2017; well held when falling on his most recent outing at Cartmel, and unlikely to be strong enough here.

Form: 1/0-935F

Desert Island Dusk^t⁹³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Dale Irving⁽³⁾| T: M A Barnes| OR: 112| CD

12/1

Thrives at this track during the spring (four-time winner; 2m-2m4f); 5lb higher than when decisively seeing off Elmono by 2¼L, but unseated his rider when last seen competitively 93-days ago; conditions appear perfect.

Form: 377-41F

Little Stevie⁶²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Ross Chapman⁽³⁾| T: R Ross| OR: 110

50/1

Modest in three starts for Donald McCain in 2018 (all over fences), and sold very cheaply last month for £800; back over hurdles (1-11) for the first time in 12 months.

Form: 326-345

Soleglad⁹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: J B Kane⁽⁵⁾| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 107

5/1

Debut bumper winner in July 2017 (Stratford), but remains a maiden over hurdles after seven starts; not beaten too far over this trip at Ballinrobe (fifth) in May, and 3lb lower for his English handicap bow; market helpful.

Form: 958-056

Jack Lamb^v¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Joe Colliver| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 104

11/4

Well-related gelding who got off the mark when upped marginally in trip (2m5f) at Sedgefield last month; 6lb higher, and in a stronger race, but worthy of respect with conditions likely to be riding on the quick side.

Form: 4P3F-81

Non-Runners

The Trigger²⁷

Weight: 10-11| Age: 9

T: R McNally J: B S Hughes

Forecasts

Vivant (13/8), Jack Lamb (11/4), Soleglad (5/1), Jump For Dough (7/1), Judge Earle (10/1), The Trigger (10/1), Desert Island Dusk (12/1), Little Stevie (50/1), Sigurd (66/1)

A competitive race with the early pace promising to be fierce with the hat-trick seeking Vivant locking horns with the dual 3m Musselburgh scorer JUMP FOR DOUGH. Both horses possess likeable attitudes, with the former having the clear fitness edge over the selection. However, the suspicion remains that there's considerably more to come from the Lucinda Russell-trained gelding this season. He struck up an excellent partnership with Thomas Wilmott earlier this calendar year, and won't be inconvenienced should any further rain fall (forecast is mixed). Others of note include the course specialist Desert Island Dusk and the English handicap debutante Soleglad.