13:20 Hexham

Wednesday 11 December 2019

All12:2012:5013:2013:5014:2014:5015:20

Chris Peart Memorial Mares' Novices' Hurdle (NHMOPS Bonus Race)

Off time: 13:22 | Winning time: 4m 39.00s

Miah Grace²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Joe Colliver| T: Jedd O'Keeffe| OR: 125| CD

1/1

Well supported when quickening clear to make a winning hurdles debut over C&D (soft), beating Fyfin Patsy by an ever-widening 11L; has lost little in defeat to Big Bad Bear (Nicky Henderson) in a Class 2 contest at Wetherby since.

Form: 23-12

Baby Jane²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: Ross Chapman| T: G Boanas

66/1

By Oscar (cost £4,000 in May); 16-1 when finishing 13L fifth to She's A Rocca on debut in an Ayr bumper (2m, heavy) four weeks ago; makes her hurdles debut today.

Form: 5

Frankies Fire⁴⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: C O'Farrell| T: J Walton

80/1

Won three-times in point-to-points (3m, good) but hasn't cut the mustard under rules (0-4); simply can't be the solution to this puzzle.

Form: 1131-U0

Heatherlea²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: James Corbett⁽⁵⁾| T: S Corbett

200/1

Germany mare; has shown precious little ability in defeat at big prices in bumpers (Sedgefield, Hexham and Newcastle); virtually impossible to fancy on hurdles debut.

Form: 789

Legends Ryde²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: G Sheehan| T: Jamie Snowden

11/10

Midnight Legend filly with a solid level of bumper form on her CV; won unchallenged by 6L at Carlisle in October (2m1f, soft) before coming off second best to Urban Artist in a Listed race at Cheltenham; makes her hurdles debut at a realistic level.

Form: 35-12

Milanvera²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Thomas Dowson| T: P A Kirby

66/1

Milan mare who should prove capable of winning races in the north with time; bitterly disappointing in a bumper at Ayr (2m, heavy) on seasonal reappearance; in plenty deep enough for hurdles debut.

Form: 439

Peace Approved¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-10| J: Jonathan England| T: S England

200/1

Maiden (on the Flat and over hurdles) for former trainer Madeleine Tylicki; could find a small race in the north for astute connections, but it surely won't be today.

Form: 00

Sophie Fatale²⁷²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Rachel McDonald⁽⁵⁾| T: A M Thomson

12/1

Robin De Champs mare; took a marked step forward on hurdles debut over C&D in March (heavy) when a never near to challenge 5L second to Lord Yeats (a talented stablemate of Miah Grace); has the potential to win races in the future.

Form: 87/2-

Stainsby Girl³⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-10| J: Callum Whillans⁽³⁾| T: D W Whillans

6/1

Easy winner of a Carlisle bumper on debut (by 17L) and acquitted herself respectably in stronger NHF races thereafter; was unable to lay a glove on Rosie And Millie (whom she'd beaten at Carlisle) on hurdles debut at Ayr (2m, soft).

Form: 130-2

Forecasts

Miah Grace (1/1), Legends Ryde (11/10), Stainsby Girl (6/1), Sophie Fatale (12/1), Baby Jane (66/1), Milanvera (66/1), Frankies Fire (80/1), Peace Approved (200/1), Heatherlea (200/1)

Both Stainsby Girl and Sophie Fatale should prove capable of winning similar races over hurdles, but the form book essentially indicates that this is a straight match between the smooth C&D winner Miah Grace and the Jamie Snowden-trained hurdles debutante LEGENDS RYDE. The selection was a talented mare in bumpers, and after hacking up at Carlisle in October she finished second in a Listed contest at Cheltenham. Her trainer is 4-6 (67%) at Hexham this season, with his winners including the sadly ill-fated Shantewe and the promising duo Kiltealy Briggs and Thomas Macdonagh.