Union Rooms Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 17:40 | Winning time: 4m 19.30s

Birch Vale²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 106| CD

6/4

Made all and jumped her nine rivals to sleep when landing the odds in a C&D mares' novices' hurdle here in May 2018; also 2lb lower than when finishing a close third to Llantara over C&D in March; chance.

Form: 1033U-7

Some Ambition⁴⁹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Thomas Willmott⁽⁷⁾| T: W Young Jnr| OR: 106

20/1

Left Charlie Longsdon for £8,000 last month; off the track since finishing fifth of nine at Towcester (1m7½f, soft) in February 2018; only of interest on handicap debut if the market speaks with authority, otherwise appears best ignored.

Form: 529405/

Bobndave¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Sam Coltherd⁽³⁾| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 103

4/1

Placed on all three previous Hexham starts, including in recent C&D novice hurdles (beaten 4¼L by the James Ewart-trained For Three last month); fairly low-key fourth of five on Southwell handicap debut 11 days ago.

Form: 6743-34

Think Ahead^p¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Charlotte Jones⁽⁷⁾| T: James Moffatt| OR: 102

3/1

After a torrid sequence of P's on his CV, he finally got his career back on track under a very patient waiting ride (second) at Cartmel (2m1f, heavy); handles soft ground; could prove capable of building on that initial starting block.

Form: 4PPPP-2

Fading Icon¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-3| J: Thomas Dowson| T: P A Kirby| OR: 88

8/1

13-race maiden; runner up on her final start for Sheena West at Fontwell (2m3f, soft) in February; poor so far (always behind) in two C&D starts for Phil Kirby; it's tough to argue a particularly solid case for her defence.

Form: 38P2-7P

Starplex²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-2| J: Henry Brooke| T: Kenny Johnson| OR: 84

7/1

Wouldn't be at all troubled by these conditions on his peak form for Keith Dalgleish but has performed woefully since joining Kenny Johnson; simply can't be the solution on his return to hurdles based solely upon current form.

Form: 5/P80P6-

Non-Runners

Wazowski¹¹

Weight: 11-12| Age: 10

T: D McCain Jnr J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Birch Vale (6/4), Wazowski (6/4), Think Ahead (3/1), Bobndave (4/1), Starplex (7/1), Fading Icon (8/1), Some Ambition (20/1)

A low-grade finale in which a number can be confidently dismissed, with Some Ambition, Fading Icon and Starplex springing quickly into mind. Think Ahead is well handicapped and under a slightly better judged ride than at Cartmel is entitled to be thereabouts, while the unexposed Bobndave (seems to like Hexham) shouldn't be overlooked on just his second handicap start. However, the pair to focus upon are the McCain duo of Birch Vale and WAZOWSKI. The former generally puts her best foot forward at Hexham, while the latter is quite simply a delightfully tough and honest horse who continues to perform race after race.