15:20 Hexham

Wednesday 12 December 2018

All12:2012:5013:2013:5014:2014:5015:20

Next Meeting Thursday 20th December Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:20 | Winning time: 5m 19.40s

My Liege²⁴⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Jonathan England| T: S England| OR: 110

17/2

Bumper winner for Evan Williams at Wincanton (2m, soft) on Boxing Day 2015; remains unexposed over hurdles (0-3) and could prove to be a reasonable acquisition for the England's at £4,000 (May 2018); handicap debut.

Form: 13/553-

Ask The Tycoon^v²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Blair Campbell⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 108

6/4

Best with plenty of cut underfoot and this 2m4f trip is probably his optimum; competes from the same mark as when beaten 6L (third) by Cold Shoulder at Ayr (2m3f+, heavy) latest; chance.

Form: 1345-53

Sheriff Garrett^p,t1¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-10| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: T D Easterby| OR: 108

7/2

0-8 over hurdles, yet continues to knock firmly at the door, including when twice finishing runner-up over C&D (on good/good to soft); tongue-tie now added.

Form: 223422

Beyondtemptation^h,t²¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-9| J: Thomas Willmott⁽⁷⁾| T: J C Haynes| OR: 107| CD

22/1

Game mare who has historically thrived on racing at Hexham; slipping back down the weights to a more manageable handicap mark; seemingly needed the run over 2m here last month; never dismissed lightly.

Form: 61P13-0

Lostock Hall²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Danny Cook| T: T Davidson| OR: 105

20/1

With David Dennis when recording a second hurdles win at Exeter in October 2016 (2m1f novice); low-key on recent stable debut; ground concerns.

Form: 31317/0

Wor Verge^t¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: James Corbett⁽⁵⁾| T: S Corbett| OR: 104

28/1

Weakened from the final flight (clung on for a place) after forcing the pace throughout on handicap debut at Sedgefield (2m1f) 15 days ago; he'll face competition for the lead here from Beyondtemptation.

Form: 35P-793

Where Now^t1⁴⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Christian Williams| OR: 103

14/1

Only completed once in six starts in PTP's with nothing of any real significance over hurdles so far either; starting off life with a new trainer, and wearing a newly applied tongue-tie.

Form: FU-8604

Mah Mate Bob¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley| OR: 99

40/1

Lightly raced maiden (0-5); half-brother to the enigmatic 2m3f-2m7f hurdle winner Shantou Bob; this race represents just his second start in handicap company.

Form: 769-58

Strike West²³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 98

14/1

Broke his duck at the 12th attempt when scoring at Carlisle (2m3f+, soft) in April (beating Sunday's Kelso winner Border Victor); returns to the track following a summer break from a 4lb higher mark.

Form: 6U4831-

Towerburn^t²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Callum Bewley| T: Mrs A C Hamilton| OR: 83| CD

6/1

Left his previous form well behind when winning by an unchallenged 9L over C&D last month; the handicapper has taken aim with a subsequent 10lb hike but such was his poor from previously he remains at the foot of the weights.

Form: 4-P0041

Forecasts

Ask The Tycoon (6/4), Sheriff Garrett (7/2), Towerburn (6/1), My Liege (17/2), Strike West (14/1), Where Now (14/1), Lostock Hall (20/1), Beyondtemptation (22/1), Wor Verge (28/1), Mah Mate Bob (40/1)

An open finale in which the market exchanges could hold relevant clues, with the likes of My Liege and Where Now certainly worth monitoring. Ask The Tycoon has stronger form than the majority of these and also has his optimum conditions, but the solution could possibly come from the other end of the handicap. The tentative advice is the seasonal debutante STRIKE WEST who might conceivably have more in the locker over this trip, having regularly struggled over 2 miles.