14:00 Hexham

Monday 22 April 2024

All14:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:3017:0517:35

Sky Sports Racing Welcomes Racing To School. 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:01 | Winning time: 4m 28.2s

Tedtwo⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 12-0| J: R P McLernon| T: B Haslam| OR: 119| D

2/1

Bumper winner who won only start over hurdles for Kerry Lee and cemented positive start for new yard when running out a comfortable winner under a penalty at Sedgefield (16.8f, heavy) 6 weeks ago. One of the likelier types again despite conceding weight all round.

Form: 17-1221

Clinton Lane^p³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Theo Gillard| T: Mark Gillard| OR: 103

22/1

Caused a big surprise on first outing following a breathing op when winning 10-runner maiden hurdle at Fontwell (17.7f, heavy) 35 days ago. However, likely to find this much tougher under a penalty.

Form: 350791

Joker De Mai²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr D Maxwell⁽³⁾| T: Harry Derham| OR: 129| BF

4/9

Useful chaser in France and also landed 2m3f handicap hurdle at Lingfield for his new yard in December. Runner-up all 3 starts since, latterly at Newcastle 920.3f) 4 weeks ago and big player again back down in trip.

Form: 1-41222

Foster's Fortune³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Tom Midgley⁽³⁾| T: C Grant

125/1

Showed little in 3 starts in bumpers and similar story in pair of hurdle starts more recently.

Form: 06767

Rathgearan⁴⁸¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-2| J: Danny McMenamin| T: C Grant| OR: 97

40/1

Modest in bumpers in Ireland and similar form over hurdles/fences when last seen in 2022. Likely best watched back from 16 months off.

Form: 449/424-

Atlanticexpress²³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Sean Quinlan| T: Lizzie Quinlan

100/1

Safely held on debut for Joseph O'Brien in a mares' maiden hurdle at Punchestown (22.5f) in February and, easy to back, she offered little on debut for new yard when last of 6 in a Carlisle novice (19.3f) 23 days ago. Probably one for low-grade handicaps.

Form: 56

Chantilly Dragon²²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Callum Bewley| T: P D Niven

100/1

Third in bumper at Sedgefield in November but well held next start and she's probably one for handicaps in this sphere judged on pair of mares' maiden/novice exploits last month.

Form: 3658

French Highlands³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Alan Doyle⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

11/1

Shirocco filly who is bred to stay well and, with a run in bumpers under her belt, she shaped encouragingly when third in a C&D novice on hurdles bow 31 days ago. Very much the type to improve, particularly when tackling longer trips.

Form: 93

Norse Reiver¹¹⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Jamie Hamilton| T: G Boanas

200/1

Sent off at long odds and no promise in pair of bumper outings late last year.

Form: 08

Non-Runners

Rightbackatyou¹⁵

Weight: 11-2| Age: 6

T: W Coltherd J: Sam Coltherd

Telemetry³⁴

Weight: 11-2| Age: 6

T: P A Kirby J: Thomas Dowson

Forecasts

Joker De Mai (4/9), Tedtwo (2/1), French Highlands (11/1), Clinton Lane (22/1), Telemetry (33/1), Rathgearan (40/1), Rightbackatyou (50/1), Atlanticexpress (100/1), Chantilly Dragon (100/1), Foster's Fortune (125/1), Norse Reiver (200/1)

JOKER DE MAI arrives in very good order and holds standout claims on these terms, so he looks the way to go back in novice company. Tedtwo can provide chief resistance for the Ben Haslam stable, with likely improver French Highlands rating best of the remainder.