15:18 Hexham

Sunday 23 June 2024

All14:1814:4815:1815:4816:1816:4817:1817:48

Tynedale Function Suite Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) (Div 1)

Off time: 15:19 | Winning time: 5m 13.09s

Golden Swift¹⁰⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Ben Smith⁽⁷⁾| T: R M Smith| OR: 72

250/1

Well held in a bumper/completed start over hurdles.

Form: 0000F-

Independent Jimmy³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Theo Gillard| T: D McCain Jnr

11/2

Related to winners over obstacles but looked green in bumpers. More like it over hurdles, second of 6 at Market Rasen last month, albeit no match for the winner. Up in trip.

Form: 857-2

Major Champion^t³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Conor Rabbitt⁽⁵⁾| T: M A BarnesWS

9/2

No impact in Irish points but left opening hurdles run well behind when third of 9 over C&D a month ago, sticking to his task. That places him right in the mix here.

Form: 73

My Friend Yeats²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Ross Chapman| T: R Menzies

8/1

Sixth foal, dam unraced. Off mark in Irish points at seventh attempt (May 26) and this looks a reasonable starting point under Rules.

Form: 6P4F-P1

The Flying Poet^h³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: S Bowen| T: O Murphy

6/4

€90,000 3-y-o, Milan gelding. Half-brother to fair 19f hurdle winner King of Cong. Hooded and flashed tail briefly but showed a bit to work on when a keeping-on fourth at Bangor last month (16.7f). More to come over this trip.

Form: 4

Fairland^p,t⁴⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Danny McMenamin| T: C Grant| OR: 79

7/1

Merit looks established in handicaps. Plugged on for fifth at Sedgefield last month and looks vulnerable back in maiden.

Form: 57P55-5

Florita⁸⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Jonathan England| T: S England

18/1

Third foal, sister to fair hurdler/fairly useful chaser Windance (19f-3¼m winner). Dam (c106/h115) 2m hurdle winner. Runner-up on last 2 of 3 starts in Irish points (latest Mar 31). Market may guide.

Form: 6/22-

Pop The Question²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: B S Hughes| T: Samantha & Jacqueline Coward

50/1

Third foal, half-sister to 2 point winners, dam point winner. Successful between the flags herself but pulled up last time (May 27).

Form: PU45-1P

Tamlaght Eyes⁷⁵⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Mr N McParlan⁽³⁾| T: Gerald Quinn

11/1

Sister to fair hurdler/fairly useful chaser Shut The Box and has won a point. Showed more than on bumper debut when third of 7 at Kelso but that was back in May 2022. Hurdles bow up in trip.

Form: 2P2483/

Forecasts

The Flying Poet (6/4), Major Champion (9/2), Independent Jimmy (11/2), Fairland (7/1), My Friend Yeats (8/1), Tamlaght Eyes (11/1), Florita (18/1), Pop The Question (50/1), Golden Swift (250/1)

THE FLYING POET cost plenty as a 3-y-o and the way he shaped on last month's debut at Bangor suggests there's plenty more to come from him over this sort of trip. He can improve beyond the level set by Major Champion and Independent Jimmy.