20:56 Thursday
There is a precautionary inspection planned for 07:00 Friday morning and the advance going is Heavy.
There has been 45mm of rain this week. 27mm of rain last 24hrs & still raining.
5-10mm more possible. Turning dry from midnight. Monitoring
closely but raceable at present.
07:40 The course has passed the inspection - the going is Heavy and conditions will be testing.
12:12 Good afternoon from Hexham where the going is going to be very testing, there is a very strong wind, which will be head-on in the straight.
12:35 Going stick is 5.9
13:04 Our opening contest is a very depleted Toteplacepot Selling Hurdle, with just four attempting to win the extended 2½ mile contest.
Earth Magic is the clear paddock pick but that is reflected in his somewhat cramped odds.
Bubses Boy was pulling a bit in the parade ring.
13:25 Not a lot to say in the opener, Earth Magic – as he should – came home the very confortable winner, virtually making all.
He was briefly headed by Treason Trial in the back straight but the pretender was very soon put in his place and Treason Trial was soon sending out distress signals.
Although a country mile ahead Earth Magic did have to be egged on turning for home and he made a tired mistake at the last before coming home a distance clear.
There was a battle for second with Bubses Boy winning the battle with Treason Trial.
Maree Prince was pulled up before the final circuit with an injury to his rear hind.
There was no bid for the winner.
13:36 Race two is the Hexham Racecourse Bookmakers Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Chase over the extended 2½ miles with six facing the starter.
A motley lot in the parade ring, with Cybora looking to be the least worse.
Paddys Unyoke was slightly on his toes and Cloudmor was pulling slightly.
13:54 The slog fest continues with the second contest being run 45” slower than standard and the field coming home strung out.
Top weight Ocarina was conceding up to a stone to his rivals but it did not prevent him coming home a convincing 15 length winner, pulling well clear on the turn for home.
Bottom weight Manoubi ran on past tired horses to finish second with the front running favourite Do It For Dalkey a further 15 lengths back in third.
This looks like being one of those afternoons where the races should be generally ignored in terms of form.
14:05 Race three is an extended two mile hurdle, the Rowland Chartered Accountants Handicap Hurdle, with eight going to post in this bitterly cold wind.
Lindseyfield Lodge looks head and shoulders above the remainder, Dollar Express also looks good. Rolecarr is pulling slightly.
14:25 There is a theme developing here this afternoon, slow times and the field strung out.
Lindseyfield Lodge and Knight Valliant took the field along at what was obviously going to be a steady pace.
The pair still had the advantage coming to the end of the back straight for the final time, by which point it was a four horse race with Rolecarr and Devils Delight the other pair in contention.
By the time they began the turn for home it was down to three as Devils Delight had found it too much and was dropping back.
Although there were three horses clear there was only going to be one winner as Rolecarr seemed to be relishing the ground and as he pulled clear on the apex of the turn it was race over baring a fall.
No problems with the jumping and Rolecarr came home 23 lengths clear.
Knight Valliant, sent off joint favourite took second place with the tired Lindseyfield Lodge back in third.
The other joint favourite Dollar Express was never in the race, eventually pulling up.
14:37 Race four is the Jane Bennett 30th Birthday Novices’ Chase over 3m 1f with eight starting – how many will finish?
Quite a few of them on their toes but the wind is whipping round and that is possibly setting a few of them off.
14:53 A cracking finish to the three mile one furlong chase with a photo finish.
The verdict was given to Club Class who had front run to be headed by Bescot Springs on the turn for home.
When it looked as though Bescot Springs had got the better of him Club Claqss rallied under John Dawson and he regained the lead.
However Bescot Springs was also determined to win and there was a cracking battle to the line.
There was a coming together in the closing stages and the Stewards are taking a look, although it would be a shock if the result is reversed.
Favourite Milans Man came home third, never looking to be the winner.
15:07 Next up is another hurdle, the extended 2m 4f The Weatherbys Bloodstock Insurance Novices’ Hurdle, with 10 going to post.
Wind is now almost gale force and teh rain is now coming down steadily.
15:26 This race was run in appalling conditions with horizontal rain – one has to feel really sorry for the horses and riders.
Jason Maguire will still be smiling though as he rode a patient race on Code Blue to hit the front in the home straight, heading Bear Dancing who had been prominent throughout.
The grey Riskier had set the pace, leading until the turn for home then dropping out like a stone through water.
Papamoa was doing his best work in the closing stages to finish third, eight lengths in arrears.
15:27 Another 3m 1f chase next as four line up for the SIS Handicap Chase.
Four very miserable looking horses in the parade ring.
15:57 This was a painful contest to watch with The Green Hat going off at his own pace, opening up a 20 length plus lead at one point but even as they went off on the final circuit it was evident he would not sustain the lead.
Sure enough by the time they entered the back straight the two remaining runners had caught the long time leader. (The favourite Reckless Venture had pulled up entering the home straight for the first time, having been well tailed off)
Matmata De Tendron took up the running coming down the hill and it wasn’t long before the race became a duel with Seeking Power on his quarters.
The pair were still locked together jumping the last and a good battle ensued up the run-in with the almost white Matmata De Tendron holding on by a head.
The Green Hat tried to refuse at the last but his rider persuaded him to jump it at the second attempt to take third prize money.
16:06 The final contest is the extended two mile Toteswinger Handicap Chase, with ten going to post.
Gavroche Gaugain looks good in the parade ring, Duke Of Malfi and Norminster are both pulling slightly.
16:24 One of those what if races.
There were three in line coming to the last with Janal, Against The Wind and Gavroche Gaugain all contesting the lead, none looking better than the last named, who then promptly fell making it a two horse race.
It was a good nip and tuck battle to the line with Janal getting the better of Against the Wind by a neck.
The beneficiary of the last fence fall was Soul Angel who took third spot, 13 lengths behind the front pair.
For a long time it looked as though we may have been in for an upset with the outsider Nifty Boy heading the field. He was headed at one point only to rally and take up the running yet again.
Eventually he was outclassed but it was good to watch while the challenge lasted.
16:26 That is it from a wet, miserable Hexham, which is a great shame as Hexham is one of the most attractively located courses in the country, set atop the Northumbrian hills.
We head further north tomorrow, crossing the border to visit Kelso.
Until then a very good afternoon.
Return to race archive:
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Non-Runners
The time in brackets is the time the horse was officially declared a non-runner.
SC - Self Certificate
VC - Vet's Certificate
Non-runners
13:10
1 Follow On (going - 07:35)
2 Alonso de Guzman (bruised foot - VC 08:50)
3 Ballylanigan (travel - 08:55)
15:10
11 Saga Surprise (bruised foot - SC 07:34)
15:40
4 Appeal Denied (going - SC 09:10)
16:10
11 Apache Brave (going - 08:58)
Results
13:10 Selling Hurdle 2m 4f 110yds
| 1st |
5 Earth Magic |
4/11 F |
| 2nd |
4 Bubses Boy |
16/1 |
| Tote Win £1.30 |
|
| Exacta £5.30 |
|
| SF £6.10 |
|
| Distances distance |
|
| 4 ran |
|
|
| Non runners 1, 2, 3 |
|
| Time 5' 42.0" (slow 52") |
|
13:40 Handicap Chase 2m 4f 110yds
| 1st |
1 Ocarina |
5/1 |
| 2nd |
6 Manoubi |
7/2 |
| Tote Win £4.20 |
|
| Places £2.50, £1.50 |
|
| Exacta £15.10 |
|
| CSF £21.01 |
|
| Distances 15l |
|
| Do It For Dalkey 13/8 fav (3rd) |
| 6 ran |
|
| Time 5' 45.6" (slow 45.6") |
14:10 Handicap Hurdle 2m 110yds
| 1st |
6 Rolecarr |
7/1 |
| 2nd |
3 Knight Valliant |
3/1 jf |
| 3rd |
4 Lindseyfield Lodge |
4/1 |
| Tote Win £12.40 |
|
| Places £3.90, £1.20, £1.10 |
| Exacta £31.90 |
|
| CSF £28.98 |
|
| Tricast £95.79 |
|
| Distances 23l, 11l |
|
| Devils Delight 3/1 jf (PU) |
|
| 8 ran |
|
| Time 4' 34.2" (slow 42.2") |
14:40 Novices' Chase 3m 1f
| 1st |
3 Club Class |
22/1 |
| 2nd |
2 Bescot Springs |
5/1 |
| 3rd |
6 Milans Man |
7/4 fav |
| Tote Win £38.60 |
|
| Places £10.50, £1.10, £2.80 |
| Exacta £135.90 |
|
| CSF £119.14 |
|
| Distances head, 10l |
|
| 8 ran |
|
| Time 7' 02.1" (slow 55.9") |
| Result stands |
|
15:10 Novices' Hurdle 2m 4f 110yds
| 1st |
3 Code Blue |
3/1 fav |
| 2nd |
1 Bear Dancing |
4/1 |
| 3rd |
8 Papamoa |
25/1 |
| Tote Win £4.70 |
|
| Places £2.60, £2.20, £8.70 |
| Exacta £16.10 |
|
| CSF £14.76 |
|
| Distances 1 1/4l, 16l |
|
| 10 ran |
|
| Non runners 2, 11 |
|
| Time 5' 37.9" (slow 47.9") |
15:40 Handicap Chase 3m 1f
| 1st |
2 Matmata de Tendron |
9/2 |
| 2nd |
1 Seeking Power |
11/4 |
| Tote Win £3.70 |
|
| Exacta £13.00 |
|
| CSF £15.66 |
|
| Distances head |
|
| Reckless Venture 7/4 fav (PU) |
| 4 ran |
|
| Non runners 4 |
|
| No time taken |
|
16:10 Handicap Chase 2m 110yds
| 1st |
10 Janal |
7/1 |
| 2nd |
3 Against The Wind |
4/1 fav |
| 3rd |
4 Soul Angel |
14/1 |
| Tote Win £8.10 |
|
| Places £3.50, £1.10, £2.60 |
| Exacta £31.70 |
|
| CSF £34.56 |
|
| Tricast £372.52 |
|
| Distances neck, 13l |
|
| 10 ran |
|
| Non runners 11 |
|
| Time 4' 32.3" (slow 32.3") |
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