14:15 Hexham

Saturday 15 June 2019

All14:1514:4515:2015:5516:3017:0517:40

Marie Curie Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:16 | Winning time: 4m 7.60s

Sleep In First²⁵

Age: 13| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: J Ewart| OR: 100| CD

6/1

Veteran with a solid record (10-63), although admittedly has become an infrequent winner in recent years; reverts to fences after posting a perfectly respectable comeback over hurdles here (2m, good) last month; C&D winner off this mark (May 2018).

Form: 22454-4

Make It Happen^p,t³¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-3| J: Blair Campbell⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 91

25/1

April Kelso hurdles winner (2m2f, good to soft); is yet to really prove that he's cut out for the chasing game (0-3); 6lb lower than when finishing last of five to Felix Mendelssohn at Perth (2m, good) a month ago; risky proposition.

Form: P0P18-5

Pads¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: Rachel McDonald⁽⁵⁾| T: D Bourke| OR: 85

9/1

26-race maiden; beaten 20L (third) by Melody Of Scotland in a 2m Class 5 handicap hurdle here a fortnight ago; sole rules chasing experience came in a Sedgefield Hunters' Chase in April 2018; twice placed in northern PTP's.

Form: 5/7855-3

Ringaringarosie¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Thomas Willmott⁽⁷⁾| T: M Todhunter| OR: 85| D

7/2

6lb higher than when breaking the maiden and turning over the 2/7f Istimraar at Sedgefield (2m, good) on her penultimate start; ran a solid race at Cartmel (2m1½f, soft) latest, only weakening from the last when third to Zolfo.

Form: 3P26-13

Black Kettle^t,v¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-11| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 85| D

6/1

Has rediscovered a spark, twice finishing runner up here (2m-2m4f), including behind stablemate Roxyfet; handles testing conditions, remains feasibly handicapped and although having some work to do with Kitty Fisher could be in the mix.

Form: 75P-622

Roll Of Thunder³⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 10-9| J: C O'Farrell| T: J Walton| OR: 83| CD

10/1

Finished sixth of 13 in this race in 2018, but in far better form heading into the contest this time around (1,3,1); 4lb higher than when picking up the pieces in a small field affair at Perth (2m4f, good) last month; shorter trip a concern.

Form: 6571-31

Miss Amelia³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: D A Jacob| T: M Walford| OR: 82| BF

4/1

February Market Rasen (2m1f, good to soft) with Daryl Jacob in the saddle; arguably not at the top of her game at Worcester latest, but shouldn't be written off from a mark which is 1lb lower than when finishing second over C&D (good) in April.

Form: 42142-4

Kitty Fisher¹⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 10-5| J: Thomas Dowson| T: Miss S E Forster| OR: 79| C

4/1

Former pointer who was a winner at the third time of asking over rules fences here (2m4f, good to soft) a fortnight ago beating today's rival Black Kettle by 9L; drops back in trip and has taken a 10lb hike in the weights.

Form: 964-331

Duhallowcountry^b¹¹

Age: 13| Weight: 10-0| J: Joe Williamson⁽⁷⁾| T: Kenny Johnson| OR: 73| D

14/1

Front-running veteran who has popped up on a couple of occasions so far this calendar year (Sedgefield and Newcastle) but he's yet to deliver the goods at this track despite numerous attempts and on that basis is overlooked.

Form: 914-536

Forecasts

Ringaringarosie (7/2), Kitty Fisher (4/1), Miss Amelia (4/1), Sleep In First (6/1), Black Kettle (6/1), Pads (9/1), Roll Of Thunder (10/1), Duhallowcountry (14/1), Make It Happen (25/1)

Both Kitty Fisher and Roll Of Thunder arrive in excellent fettle off the back of their respective recent wins, although are far from certain to be suited by dropping back in trip with the former having taken a 10lb hike in the weights for beating re-opposing rival Black Kettle by a comfortable 9L here a fortnight ago. Miss Amelia was a beaten favourite (second) on her last visit to Hexham, but is worthy of a positive mention. However, a chance is taken on the top-weight and veteran SLEEP IN FIRST who shaped encouragingly on his return to the track over hurdles here latest, and was a good ground C&D winner off this mark (100) in May 2018.