13:30 Hexham

Saturday 1 June 2019

All13:3014:0514:4015:1515:5016:4517:20

Sky Sports Racing Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 13:31 | Winning time: 4m 12.25s

Melody Of Scotland^v1²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 12-1| J: R P McLernon| T: B Haslam| OR: 102| D

9/1

Useful hurdler in handicaps over hurdles at her best but regressed when with Alan King and hasn't shown any positive signs for her current yard. First-time visor now replaces the cheekpieces tried last time; falls in the weights, remains a risk.

Form: 7773P-0

Lambs Lane¹⁷⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Alain Cawley| T: E Mullins| OR: 99

5/1

Won a bumper back in 2017 (had run in a hurdle prior to that) but has yet to win over timber (0-15). Fared poorly when last seen but a change of yard may spark some improvement; current trainer in cracking form; positive market vibes respected.

Form: P00P70-

Magen's Moon¹²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Danny Mullins| T: E Mullins| OR: 96

8/11

One of two runners in the race for this in-form yard; so far failed to win over hurdles (0-6) but did show some promise under an inexperienced rider (penultimate start). Failed to build on that last time but not to be ignored given connections.

Form: 000/099-

Diamond Rock^b1²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Henry Brooke| T: A M Thomson| OR: 92

25/1

Has something of a chequered career since landing a Bangor handicap chase in October 2017 failing to complete on five occasions. Fell when hurdling last time (went with little zest); first-time blinkers now used, not one to rely on.

Form: P2FP6-F

Teviot Prince^p1²⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: Callum Bewley| T: G Moss| OR: 92| C

50/1

Has won between the flags but his Rules form has been far from enticing with one standout effort to show for his work with a variety of yards. Cheekpieces now added for the first-time; makes limited appeal.

Form: P551/P-5

Fading Icon¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-1| J: Tom Midgley⁽¹⁰⁾| T: P A Kirby| OR: 91

16/1

Ran right up to her best at Fontwell on heavy ground over 2m3f on her final run for Sheena West. Considerately handled over C&D on her first run for this yard under today's pilot (finished well held); could be better to come though in the future.

Form: 638P2-7

Jaxlight¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Joe Williamson⁽⁷⁾| T: Stef Keniry| OR: 88

20/1

Scored in a Sedgefield bumper on her only start for Patrick Holmes but has so far achieved little over hurdles for her current yard. Now goes handicapping for the first time and should make more of an impact in this sphere.

Form: 10/P7-65

Pads⁸⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: Rachel McDonald⁽⁵⁾| T: D Bourke| OR: 86

28/1

Career record reads 0-25 with 22 of those defeats coming over hurdles so he's hardly the soundest proposition. Did take a step back in the right direction on his penultimate start from a reduced mark; failed to get reach that level when last seen.

Form: 45/7855-

Hey Bob^t¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: Sean Quinlan| T: C Grant| OR: 81| D

20/1

Weak finishes had become an unwelcome trait in his repertoire but a switch to front-running tactics saw him win a Catterick selling handicap hurdle easily (by 14L). Not really a surprise that he's struggled to match that form in two starts since.

Form: 68514-U

Windy Writer^p,t¹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-3| J: David England| T: S England| OR: 76

17/2

Yard good at rejuvenating causes such as this although they haven't quite cracked this case yet. Showed that there was still some ability there when third over C&D last time; has to now prove she can back that up; of interest if the market speaks.

Form: 054P/U3

Fairlee Grace¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: S Mulqueen⁽³⁾| T: W Coltherd| OR: 71

28/1

Hardly helped by being 2lb out of the weights with very little solid form to show for her recent efforts. Finished well held off an eight week break at Perth last time; makes very little appeal even at this level.

Form: 64/484-6

Cully Mac^p¹⁸⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: B S Hughes| T: A Wilson| OR: 70

20/1

0-14 in bumpers and over hurdles with very little solid form to show for those efforts. Ran over 3m last time and this return to a bare 2m is hardly likely to suit; 3lb out of the handicap and of little interest even with a leading rider booked.

Form: F/6P408-

Non-Runners

Illuminati³⁴

Weight: 12-1| Age: 9

T: N C Kelly J: Mr N McParlan

Forecasts

Magen's Moon (8/11), Lambs Lane (5/1), Windy Writer (17/2), Melody Of Scotland (9/1), Illuminati (12/1), Fading Icon (16/1), Hey Bob (20/1), Cully Mac (20/1), Jaxlight (20/1), Diamond Rock (25/1), Pads (28/1), Fairlee Grace (28/1), Teviot Prince (50/1)

Quite a complex little puzzle to open the card made even more difficult by the fact that in-form Irish trainer Emmet Mullins saddles two runners. He’s 3-5 with his GB runners in the last five years and stable debutante LAMBS LANE looks the pick of his duo with Magen’s Moon also worthy of respect. Jaxlight goes in a handicap for the first time and that may well see her in a better light with Fading Icon looking a danger back on s softer surface having been given a very tender ride on stable debut last time over C&D. Windy Writer is another who could well be capable of more after finishing a fair third over C&D last time.