16:00 Hexham

Monday 17 September 2018

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

Watch Race Replays For Free On attheraces.com Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:00 | Winning time: 4m 4.10s

Jesse Jude^p1⁴³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: J Kington| T: S G West| OR: 110

16/1

Didn't appear to stay the trip (2m7f) on handicap debut at Market Rasen last month; displayed some promise in his earlier placed hurdling starts (albeit, comfortably held); cheekpieces applied over this vastly reduced trip.

Form: 682-36

Wazowski²³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 108| CD

3/1

Both career wins have come with cut underfoot, and this game one-eyed gelding is continuing to edge up the weights after a solid run of form; no track or trip worries (C&D winner).

Form: 16-3423

Tickerty Boo²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: C O'Farrell| T: B Ellison| OR: 106

16/1

Maiden, and a beaten 6/4f at Sedgefield in May (2m4f novices); shaped as if she needed the race on handicap debut at Cartmel (2m6f) last month; dropped 2lb and back to the minimum trip.

Form: 8/49-345

Suggestion¹¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: A Nicol| T: P A Kirby| OR: 105| D

9/2

Capable from a mark of 100, as demonstrated when scoring at Wetherby in March 2017, and when chasing home the ill-fated (but then in-form) Skywards Reward at Carlisle (2m1f, soft) in April 2018; a shade more to do off this mark of 105.

Form: 1/092-55

Samtu^p,t²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽⁵⁾| T: F P Murtagh| OR: 103

12/1

Fair performer on Fibresand (1m4f-1m6f) for previous trainer Marjorie Fife, but hasn't shown much over hurdles for quite a while (ex-Dan Skelton); attractively weighted if this trainer is somehow able to halt the steady decline.

Form: 27/0-655

Strong Team⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Danny Cook| T: C Grant| OR: 98| BF| D

5/2

Now 10lb higher than when winning at Perth (2m, good) in July, but has acquitted himself well on similar quick ground since with placed efforts at Sedgefield and Uttoxeter; should be thereabouts.

Form: 2V9123

Xpo Universel^t,v²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: Aaron Anderson⁽⁷⁾| T: R Menzies| OR: 95

8/1

Rebecca Menzies deserves some credit for the way she's handled this frustrating 9yo; made it 71st time lucky under an excellent ride from this 7lb claimer when winning at Cartmel (2m1f) last month; latest run ignored (came too quick); raised 3lb.

Form: 254216

Mac Cennetig^t¹⁰⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Henry Brooke| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 93WS

20/1

11-race maiden who has appeared regressive since leaving the care of Joseph O'Brien; tailed-off over C&D in June and absent since; dropped 4lb.

Form: 426P-98

Cherry Princess^t⁸⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Sean Quinlan| T: B Butterworth| OR: 92| CD

12/1

Dual C&D winner, but is now 10lb higher than when beating Budarri by 5L in June (good); likely to run her race with conditions favourable despite a three-month absence, but should find a couple stronger.

Form: 8P-3152

Forecasts

Strong Team (5/2), Wazowski (3/1), Suggestion (9/2), Xpo Universel (8/1), Cherry Princess (12/1), Samtu (12/1), Tickerty Boo (16/1), Jesse Jude (16/1), Mac Cennetig (20/1)

No standout contender, but a number of these horses can be expected to run their usual solid races, including the game as a pebble one-eyed Wazowski, and the Hexham proven mare Cherry Princess. Furthermore, Xpo Universal was finally off the mark at Cartmel last month (71st attempt), and isn't totally dismissed from a 3lb higher mark, with a line drawn through his most recent start (race came too soon). However, the advice is to follow the Chris Grant-trained Perth winner STRONG TEAM. Although the handicapper isn't necessarily making life easy, there's every chance that he'll continue to prove competitive until the ground conditions slowly deteriorate.