13:55 Hexham

Saturday 12 October 2019

All13:2513:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:50

Campbell & Rowley Event Management Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:55 | Winning time: 5m 19.7s

Dorking Cock²⁰⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: Stan Sheppard⁽³⁾| T: T Lacey| OR: 122| BF

5/2

Useful hurdler (122-rated); denied a hat-trick when going down narrowly to Romeo Brown at Carlisle (2m1f, heavy) in March; no reason why he shouldn't take the switch to fencing in his stride; threatens to be a major player if doing so.

Form: 773112-

Weakfield²⁶⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: B S Hughes| T: B Ellison| OR: 120

4/1

Cost £90,000 in November 2017 (as a point-to-point winner); took time to make his mark over hurdles, winning on handicap debut at Market Rasen (2m7f, good) in January (11lb rise); promises to thrive in this discipline.

Form: 1/6441-

Well Joey^t²²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: R T Dunne| T: P Stafford| OR: 117| CD

5/1

Seeks a four-timer following wins here (a Class 5 handicap), at Downpatrick and at Ballinrobe; is clearly headed in the right direction over fences, but a few of the others are arguably open to more improvement (less exposed).

Form: 8621-11

Stoney Rover¹⁵⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Sean Quinlan| T: K Scott| OR: 117| CD

17/2

Looked the part when winning here in a 2m4f novices' hurdle (soft) last November; fair to say that he wasn't quite the same horse during the second half of the season; interesting to see how he takes to fencing.

Form: 12344-P

Ain't My Fault^h1,t¹⁵⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: S Mulqueen⁽³⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 114WS

12/1

Six-race rules maiden; was quickly beaten once headed at the second last on chasing debut at Kelso (2m5f+, good) in May; returns from wind surgery sporting a hood and a tongue-tie - that could feasibly all assist.

Form: 5427F-2

Tokaramore^h⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Ross Chapman| T: I Jardine| OR: 112| CD

6/1

Struck at the fourth attempt over fences when picking up the pieces in a fast-run race over C&D (good) last month; possibly flattered by that 13L success, and the handicapper hasn't missed with a 10lb rise; take on if favourite?

Form: 13-4851

Raecius Felix²⁸⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-3| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: Ruth Jefferson| OR: 111

11/1

Stowaway gelding; absent from the track since finishing second to Elvis Mail at Kelso (2m, good) last December; should make his mark over fences with time; is expected to improve for this initial experience.

Form: 642-

Honourmission¹⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-1| J: Jonathan England| T: S England| OR: 95

18/1

Didn't progress over hurdles for former handler Harry Whittington - whipped around and unseated his rider at the start on handicap (hurdle) debut at Wincanton in May; joined Sam England cheaply (for £1,500); risky on chasing debut.

Form: 4790-UP

Commanding Spirit⁵¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 91

40/1

Has had a spell in Irish point-to-points (1-9) since his last rules start for Jonjo O'Neill (April 2017); returns from a 518-day break under the guidance of the Middleham handler Micky Hammond; look elsewhere for the solution.

Form: 1242/35-

Non-Runners

Ripstick⁸

Weight: 10-0| Age: 8

T: J Walton J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Dorking Cock (5/2), Weakfield (4/1), Well Joey (5/1), Tokaramore (6/1), Stoney Rover (17/2), Raecius Felix (11/1), Ain't My Fault (12/1), Honourmission (18/1), Commanding Spirit (40/1), Ripstick (50/1)

A number of those declared are thought capable of winning races over fences in the north with the likes of Raecius Felix (Ruth Jefferson), Stoney Rover (Katie Scott) and Ain't My Fault (Lucinda Russell) all mildly interesting for the future. Of those with more recent course form, Tokaramore has been clobbered with a 10lb rise (race somewhat fell apart) and the suspicion is that she'll be vulnerable for Iain Jardine. Furthermore, Well Joey is expected to be hard pushed to land a notable four-timer. Therefore, this could lie between the chasing newcomers DORKING COCK and Weakfield, with the former narrowly preferred.