12:20 Hexham

Wednesday 8 December 2021

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

Season's Greetings From Hexham Racecourse Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 12:21 | Winning time: 5m 22.42s

Ryedale Racer⁴⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: Bruce Lynn⁽⁵⁾| T: N W Alexander| OR: 110| CD

28/1

Returned to form from out of the blue when scoring at Kelso (23f) in February, but he's hard to catch right and has failed to fire on each of his 2 subsequent starts.

Form: P091P-7

Jelski^p¹⁰⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: William Shanahan⁽⁷⁾| T: James Moffatt| OR: 110| D

14/1

Ended a losing sequence stretching back to 2019 off a much reduced mark at Cartmel (2¾m) in July. Class 2 company was too much for him back there next time and this is more his level.

Form: 654P15

Lady Bowes²⁰⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Charlotte Jones⁽⁵⁾| T: James Moffatt| OR: 106| CD

11/2

Fair bumper winner who left hurdling debut well behind when landing a 2½m Hexham novice last December. Not disgraced on handicap bow at Perth 5 months later and possibilities if fully tuned-up here.

Form: 24/141-6

Sutton Manor^p⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: S Mulqueen| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell| OR: 105| D

12/1

Veteran who arrives here on a long losing run and is likely to come up short once again.

Form: F4F-497

Tintern Theatre²⁷⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: B S Hughes| T: R Ross| OR: 105

18/1

Clearly not the force of old, but wasn't beaten far when third in a selling hurdle at Taunton (19f) on final start for Nigel Twiston-Davies in March and he resumes for new yard on an attractive mark.

Form: 4/0U673-

Ensel Du Perche¹⁵⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: Henry Brooke| T: Mrs Stella Barclay| OR: 104

66/1

Fair maiden hurdler for Gavin Cromwell in Ireland, but yet to figure in 2 starts for new stable and likely best watched back from a break.

Form: F50-5P0

Stoney Rover³²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Ryan Mania| T: A M Thomson| OR: 102| CD

9/4

Fair hurder/chaser for Katie Scott and there were certainly positives to glean from last month's effort at Kelso (second run for this yard) where he was returning from 20 months off. 3 lb lower now.

Form: F234U/5

Cash Again⁶³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: R Patrick| T: B Haslam| OR: 102| CD

22/1

Hurdles winner at Sedgefield last December and followed up over fences here 3 months later. However, first run of this season left much to be desired, for all that he clearly needed it.

Form: 24611-7

Storm Tiger³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽³⁾| T: Mrs Stella Barclay| OR: 100

25/1

Successful on sole outing in points, but efforts in novice company have been low-key and sizeable step forward needed now pitched into a handicap.

Form: 1/7-09

Penpal¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-10| J: Alain Cawley| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 94

20/1

Winner of 19f claimer on final start in France, but it's hard to make a case for him judged on efforts on this side of the Channel.

Form: 5578-09

Folks Like Us^p⁹³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Callum Bewley| T: Ewan Whillans| OR: 90| BF

10/1

Off the mark in a Kelso handicap hurdle off a 1 lb lower mark last season. Fair efforts the last twice, latterly on chase debut at Perth (23.8f), and place possibilities back in this sphere.

Form: 616-P44

Shoughall's Boy²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-1| J: Thomas Willmott⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs H O Graham| OR: 85| CD

9/2

Improved from out of the blue when making a winning reappearance over this C&D 3 weeks ago. 3 lb rise looks about right and he will be a danger to all if able to build on that.

Form: 0547-P1

Kildrum²⁰⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-0| J: Billy Garritty| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 80

8/1

Runner-up on second start for this yard over 23.3f here in March, and not disgraced when fifth of 14 back here on final appearance of last season. However, he hardly boasts a compelling profile.

Form: FF/P2P-5

Pistol^p³⁰

Age: 12| Weight: 10-0| J: Mr John Dixon⁽⁷⁾| T: J E Dixon| OR: 74

80/1

It's been more than 3 years since he last hit the target and he's 10 lb 'wrong' at the weights.

Form: 36-0908

Non-Runners

Sophie Olivia³³

Weight: 10-12| Age: 9

T: T Davidson J: Harry Reed

Forecasts

Stoney Rover (9/4), Shoughall's Boy (9/2), Sophie Olivia (9/2), Lady Bowes (11/2), Kildrum (8/1), Folks Like Us (10/1), Sutton Manor (12/1), Jelski (14/1), Tintern Theatre (18/1), Penpal (20/1), Cash Again (22/1), Storm Tiger (25/1), Ryedale Racer (28/1), Ensel Du Perche (66/1), Pistol (80/1)

It remains to be seen if SHOUGHALL'S BOY will be able to build on his surprise C&D reappearance success last month, but he's only been nudged up 3 lb and it's worth giving this 5-y-o the benefit of the doubt. Tintern Theatre makes his debut for new connections on an appealing mark and he is second choice ahead of C&D winners Stoney Rover and Lady Bowes.