16:12 That's it from Hexham - a delightful course, if not a little uncomfortable with a strong breeze whipping across the course.

Our next live coverage is from Carlisle on Monday - until then good night.

16:03 In our finale, the bumper, we saw a brave winner in the shape of Lie Forrit who looked to be outpaced and beaten five furlongs out.

As they turned for home it looked to be a battle between Glenwood Knight and the joint favourite Ernst Blofeld, who looked to have every chance. It was Glenwood Knight who looked the winner until Lie Forrit rallied to take the lead inside the final furlong.

The other joint favourite Saturn Island led for most of the race before fading badly a furlong from home.

15:32 It took six races but we finally had something approaching a competitive finish for our final chase of the afternoon. Having said that we did have another front running winner, this time in the shape of Duke Of Malfi.

However in this race he was not allowed to dictate that easily as the well backed Norminster came to challenge two out and as they turned for home it looked as though we were going to have a good battle to the line, especially as Frith was not that far behind either.

OK it wasn't a photo finish but by this afternoons standards this was a very tight race.

As it happened Frith dropped away before the last and the long time leader put in the better, decisive, leap at the last and ran on the stronger to record a couple of lengths victory. With Frith a similar distance back in third.  

15:06 I think we need to find a new going description for going even worse than heavy. In out fifth contest over two miles the field were strung out in an unbelievable manner.

It does seem that front running tactics may be the best approach at Hexham today and it is a tactic fully utilised by Miss Tarantella who led from start to finish and seemingly loving the bottomless conditions taking the field along and winning coming away from the remainder – or to be precise Digital Media who came home nine lengths behind and a further 15 lengths ahead of third placed Pay On.

A good result for the bookmakers with the winner returned 100/1, which could go some way to explaining the very quiet reception the winner received.

The racing today is becoming a real war of attrition - now that would be a good name for a horse.

14:36 The longest race of the afternoon literally saw most of the runners walking across the line, they were that tired.

The 3 mile 1 furlong event saw According To Pete record his second course win in a facile manner, beating Jass by 19 lengths the pair finishing a distance ahead of the remainder.

14:05 Finally some respite for favourite backers as Diamond Frontier put in a great front running performance to run the sixteen runner field ragged in another 2½ mile hurdle.

Sharing the lead with fellow grey Silver Breese in the early stages, taking the lead on his own after the third fence. The longer the race went on the happier the leader seemed to be and when denis O’Regan kicked on turning for home the lead increased with every stride with the winner recoding a twelve length victory.

Numero Due ran on to take the runners up spot with Black Mogul a further thirteen lengths further back in third.

Black Mogul actually ran quite a good race and was with the pace most of the way - I would venture to suggest he was beaten by the going more than any lack of ability.

Catch Bob took a crashing fall at the second last but I am pleased to report he was able to walk back to the stables afterwards.

13:32 Only seven runners for the first chase of the afternoon, another 2½ mile event.

Reckless Venture was sent off the 15/8 favourite and approaching the last favourite backers must have been counting their winnings. However tiredness took its toll as the favourite clouted the last, losing momentum and handing the advantage to Sunny Brook, who had picked up the running as they started the second circuit.  

Before the off there was a major plunge on Herbie, backed from 9/1 into 5/2, however the gamble lasted no further than the first fence.

Another well backed runner was Panthers Run, whose fourth place was more to running past beaten runners than any ability.

13:00 Lucozade was sent off the favourite for our opening 2½ hurdle but it all went flat for favourite backers as the favourite never challenged and finished well down the field.

It is no surprise the field finished up strung out in the testing conditions here.

Bottom weight Bullies Acre made a strong attempt to make it a pillar to post victory but was virtually running on the spot in the final furlong.

This allowed Boysterous to run on and take the spoils in a convincing manner under 7lb claimer Harry Challoner.

Running on even more impressively was Tastes Like More under Jason Maguire, who had been hacked around near the rear before being launched with a blistering run after the last. Never troubling the winner he made his remaining rivals look like statues.

There was some slight controversy before the race when it was announced that Handel With Care was carrying 9lbs overweight. The trouble is this was not announced over the PA until the runners were at the start. OK the horse was a rank outsider but the information should have been given to the on course punters much sooner than it was. Especially bearing in mind the jockeys weigh out 15 minutes before the race.

12:05 Good afternoon from Hexham where the sun is currently shining but there are some nasty grey clouds lurking.

The official going is Heavy

The first two fences in the back straight are being omitted in all chases.

Return to race archive:

Non-Runners

12:50
3 College City

2:20
2 Mill Side

2:50
2 Bollin Thomas
8 Hickory Lane
10 Teviot Lass
13 Lindseyfield Lodge

Results

12:50

1st 6 Boysterous 8/1
2nd 2 Tastes Like More 11/1
3rd 16 Bullies Acre 40/1
15 Ran NR 3
Distances 9 & 2 1/2
Fav 11 Lucozade (Upl)
Tote
Win £9.90
Place £3.10 £4.50 £16.00
Exacta £147.60
CSF £86.07
Tricast ££3,298.09
1:20

1st 4 Sunny Brook 20/1
2nd 3 Reckless Venture 15/8 fav
7 Ran
Distances 5L
Fav second
Tote
Win £20.10
Place £5.10 £1.30
Exacta £58.70
CSF £57.91

1:50

1st 8 Diamond Frontier6/5 fav
2nd 3 Numero Due 12/1
3rd 2 Black Mogul 4/1
16 Ran
Distances 12 & 13
Fav winner
Tote
Win £2.50
Place £1.20 £4.50 £2.10
Exacta £26.50
CSF £16.81

2:20

1st 1 According To Pete 8/11 fav
2nd 5 Jass 7/1
6 Ran NR 2
Distances
Fav winner
Tote
Win £1.50
Place £1.20 £2.50
Exacta £3.80
CSF £6.40
Time 6' 52.5"

2:50

1st 17 Miss Tarantella 100/1
2nd 5 Digital Media 8/1
3rd 11 Pay On 11/1
12 Ran NR's 2 , 8 ,10 & 13
Distances 9 & 15
Fav 11 Diktatorship 9/2 (Upl)
Tote
Win £92.30
Place £19.20 £3.90 £4.30
Exacta £2,333.20
CSF £774.89
Tricast £9,277.04

3:20

1st 3 Dule Of Malfi 5/1
2nd 5 Norminster 9/2 jf
3rd 7 Frith 6/1
11 Ran
Distances 2 1/4 & 2 1/4
Fav Second and No 6 (upl)
Tote
Win £8.10
Place £2.70 £2.20 £2.30
Exacta £34.50
CSF £28.00
Tricast £139.47
Time

3:50

1st 1 Lie Forrit 7/1
2nd 8 Glenwood Knight 9/2
3rd 7 Ernst Blofeld 7/2 jf
12 Ran NR's 2 & 14
Distances 1/2 & 1 1/4
Fav third & 10 (Upl)
Tote
Win £7.90
Place £2.50 £1.60 £1.90
Exacta £39.40
CSF £37.58