Racing Partnership Conditional Jockeys' Mares' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 16:35 | Winning time: 4m 32.40s

Llantara^t⁸⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Charlie Price⁽⁵⁾| T: T Symonds| OR: 111| DWS

15/8

Revels in testing conditions and just 3lb above her last winning mark (2m Hereford); had wind surgery since her last start at Ffos Las in December, and this race looks to be less competitive; trainer 0-3 at Hexham.

Form: 2511-33

Paper Roses³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Blair Campbell| T: D W Whillans| OR: 109

7/2

3L runner-up to the progressive Derriana Spirit in a mares' novices' hurdle over C&D in December (soft); not as effective back in handicap company since (keen); stays further than 2m.

Form: 2254-24

Birch Vale⁸⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: Danny McMenamin⁽³⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 108| CD

5/1

Made all when justifying short odds over C&D in May (mares' novices); disappointing in handicap company so far, although it remains early days; should handle these conditions; stablemate of Princess Mononoke.

Form: 412-103

Princess Mononoke¹⁰²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr Jack Dinneen⁽¹⁰⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 108| CD

6/1

Won on three separate occasions on soft to heavy ground between January and April 2018 (2m1f-2m4f); 5lb above her last winning mark, and returns as a fresh horse off a 102-day absence; stablemate of Birch Vale.

Form: 14211-3

Sweet Vinetta⁵⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Dale Irving| T: G Boanas| OR: 107

6/1

Runner-up to Weather Front over C&D in November before breaking her duck at Catterick (2m3f+, soft) the following month; still just about progressing but needs to find even more improvement on handicap debut.

Form: 7-65214

Mini Dreams²⁶³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: Billy Garritty⁽⁵⁾| T: P Atkinson| OR: 86WS

11/1

Lightly-raced (0-4 over hurdles); returns to action from wind surgery; her dam Mini Master was a 2m-2m4f winning hurdler.

Form: 9P-638

Non-Runners

Kitty Fisher¹⁵

Weight: 10-0| Age: 9

T: Miss S E Forster J: Thomas Willmott

Forecasts

Llantara (15/8), Paper Roses (7/2), Birch Vale (5/1), Sweet Vinetta (6/1), Princess Mononoke (6/1), Mini Dreams (11/1), Kitty Fisher (50/1)

Donald McCain is doubly-represented with Princess Mononoke and the C&D scorer Birch Vale with both mares expected to handle the testing conditions. However, Tom Symonds has a fair chance of saddling his first ever Hexham winner with the mud-loving top-weight LLANTARA. She returns from wind surgery off a mark which remains just about competitive and this race looks to be weaker than those she contested at Ludlow (Class 2) and Ffos Las (Class 3) in December.