13:25 Hexham

Wednesday 20 November 2019

All12:5013:2514:0014:3015:0015:30

Racing Partnership Novices' Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:33 | Winning time: 4m 25.4s

Muroor^v¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: Danny McMenamin⁽⁵⁾| T: V Thompson| OR: 106

40/1

Beat I'm An Izz Wizz by a head when winning at Downpatrick (2m3f, good) in August; wore blinkers (replaced by a visor) when toiling throughout behind eventual winner Saint Freule over C&D (heavy) 12 days ago; second start for Victor Thompson.

Form: 836254

Mah Mate Bob¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Jonathon Bewley⁽³⁾| T: G Bewley| OR: 105

2/1

Continues on an upward curve, making all to strike over fences for the first time (at the second attempt) at Sedgefield (2m3½f, soft) a fortnight ago; has work to do with Bering Upsun on earlier form, but a 3lb rise looks to be perfectly fair.

Form: 4214-31

High Noon¹⁹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 100

16/1

Didn't achieve a great deal over hurdles for his former trainer Emma Lavelle, with no improvement forthcoming when switched to fences at Worcester (2m4f); bought for £9,000 in May; debut for the Middleham trainer Micky Hammond.

Form: 56/458-7

Bering Upsun²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: B S Hughes| T: J Ewart| OR: 98

5/2

Returned from a lengthy absence to make a winning chasing debut at Kelso (2m1f, good to soft) - finished just over 6L in front of the subsequent winner Mah Mate Bob; is still feasibly handicapped despite a 7lb rise; handles heavy.

Form: 48382/1

Xpo Universel^p,t²⁷⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-4| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: R Menzies| OR: 97| D

18/1

Credit to Rebecca Menzies for finding the key to this frustrating 10yo over hurdles; his task in that sphere has been made significantly harder by a fast-rising handicap mark; flopped over fences at Carlisle (2m, soft) last December; risky.

Form: 381140-

Oldtimer⁵⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Danny Cook| T: M Todhunter| OR: 96

33/1

Held in fourth place when unseating his rider at the second last here (2m4f, good) in September, and remains a maiden (0-6) over hurdles; half-brother to a point winner; can the switch to fences improve his fortunes?

Form: 7056-U0

Warendorf²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Sam Coltherd⁽³⁾| T: W Coltherd| OR: 94| BF

3/1

Hasn't too much in the way of experience over fences; favourite, but could finish only fourth to Bering Upsun (Mah Mate Bob third) over 2m1f at Kelso (good to soft) 25 days ago.

Form: 3559-44

Lastin' Memories^p²²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Thomas Dowson| T: Miss S E Forster| OR: 91

8/1

Finished a one-paced runner-up (beaten 7L) to Arctic Road over hurdles at Newcastle (2m4f, heavy) in March and couldn't be labelled as a regular winner (1-18); monitoring brief only advised for chasing debut.

Form: 1F4326-

Newstart^p²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: S Mulqueen⁽³⁾| T: K Scott| OR: 77| CD

25/1

Bought for £8,000 after winning a good-ground seller here in May 2018 (Brian Ellison) but has gradually lost his way since switched to the Borders-trainer Katie Scott; fell at the third on chasing debut; most unappealing on these terms.

Form: 797-00F

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to board prices only - deduction 10p in the pound

Non-Runners

Choochoobugaloo¹⁴

Weight: 11-0| Age: 7

T: S England J: Jonathan England

Forecasts

Mah Mate Bob (2/1), Bering Upsun (5/2), Warendorf (3/1), Choochoobugaloo (13/2), Lastin' Memories (8/1), High Noon (16/1), Xpo Universel (18/1), Newstart (25/1), Oldtimer (33/1), Muroor (40/1)

BERING UPSUN had the clear measure of a number of these rivals (namely Mah Mate Bob, Warendorf and Newstart) when returning from a lengthy absence to make a winning chasing debut at Kelso (2m1f, good to soft). His form over hurdles suggests that he handles heavy ground, and in a very winnable affair is difficult to oppose from a 7lb higher mark. In terms of seeking an each-way alternative, a selection is tricky to find with the quirky mare Choochoobugaloo and the infrequent winner (and very doubtful chaser) Xpo Universel among those declared.