15:15 Hexham

Thursday 14 March 2019

All13:5514:3515:1515:5516:3517:1517:50

Follow Hexham Racecourse On Facebook & Twitter Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:15 | Winning time: 6m 38.85s

Royal Salute^p1⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley| OR: 100

12/1

Runner-up (beaten 13L) from a 7lb higher mark over fences here in December (2m4f, soft); twice disappointing since, including at Newcastle just nine-days ago; cheekpieces applied on return to the smaller obstacles (1-10).

Form: 5F2507

Dontdelay^p²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Emma Smith-Chaston⁽¹⁰⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 88| CD

11/10

Justified some market support (20/1) when scoring on debut for this trainer (under this rider) over C&D in December - beat today's rival Turtle Cask by a head; not totally disgraced since and should figure prominently in the mix.

Form: 00/0-142

Swarez⁵⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: A W Short⁽³⁾| T: P Stafford| OR: 87

9/1

0-5 under rules; very difficult to draw any positives whatsoever from those efforts (2m-2m4f); handicapper taking an educated guess with a mark of 82; trainer 5-36 (14%) at Hexham.

Form: F-74000

Broadway Belle²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: B S Hughes| T: C Grant| OR: 86| CD

10/1

3lb lower than when scoring by a head over C&D in June 2018 (good); poor since (appears held by Dontdelay); no obvious reason as to why she should bounce back to form; handles soft ground.

Form: 148765

Turtle Cask^p²⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-10| J: Danny McMenamin⁽⁷⁾| T: M E Sowersby| OR: 84| CD

7/2

Without a win since notching over C&D in September 2017 (heavy); feasibly treated and was beaten only a head by today's rival Dontdelay here in December; noteworthy that Danny McMenamin returns to the saddle.

Form: P8924P

Purple Harry^v1⁷¹

Age: 11| Weight: 10-10| J: Lucy Alexander| T: Miss T Jackson| OR: 84| D

22/1

Hasn't won over hurdles since justifying favouritism under Nico De Boinville at Newcastle (3m) in March 2015; no joy over fences since December 2017, so the headgear (visor) goes on back over hurdles.

Form: P624-58

The Conn⁴⁸²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-1| J: S Mulqueen⁽³⁾| T: Mrs S Walton| OR: 75

10/1

13-race maiden who has been off the track since November 2017; dropped 4lb since finishing 8¾L fourth to today's rival Turtle Cask over C&D in September 2017.

Form: 753455-

Millrose Bell^p¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Philip Armson⁽⁷⁾| T: V Thompson| OR: 69

16/1

18-race maiden; competes from outside of the handicap proper; stays all day but shouldn't be capable of winning this race; has plenty to find with Dontdelay based upon last month's Sedgefield (3m3f) evidence.

Form: 663436

Forecasts

Dontdelay (11/10), Turtle Cask (7/2), Swarez (9/1), Broadway Belle (10/1), The Conn (10/1), Royal Salute (12/1), Millrose Bell (16/1), Purple Harry (22/1)

No strength in-depth, so that strongly implies that stakes should be kept to the bare minimum. However, we do have a number of heavy ground C&D form-lines to play with, and there's potentially not a great deal to choose between December's 1-2 Dontdelay and TURTLE CASK. However, with the capable 7lb claimer Danny McMenamin returning to the saddle the Michael Sowersby charge gets the tentative nod. He's without a win since September 2017 but knows his way around this track, also finishing runner-up to the Lucinda Russell-trained Haul Us In in this race in 2018. Of the remainder don't discount the enigmatic Purple Harry.