Hexham 2.40
By UK Flat / AW (Northern)
NORTH - Hexham 2.40 Handicap Chase - Class 5 - 3 miles - 12 run - Soft
A race with a fair number of in form horses and Course and Distance specialists.
At the head of the market are Gypsy Lee Rose, The Lion Dancer, who has a tendency to weaken when asked for a closing effort, Cudgel who runs with a penalty that may ensure no follow up win and Without Conviction who is up in trip.
Tumbling Dice for Sue Smith looks more of a horse for your Trackers off a break of 88 days, may need this but freshened up for the better ground. Hidden Cargo has good Course and Distance form but another with a penalty and Espoir Morviere is more experienced as a Hurdler and may find a few of these a bit too savvy over the bigger obstacles.
So many of those seem to have had their seasonal win or win in turn and don;t seem the types to run up a sequence and at the bigger priced end of the market are a couple who are more interesting.
REAL ARMANI has won here off marks of 81 and 84 on Soft and Good to Soft, it was runner up in this race last year off a mark of 89 and although off a mark of 92, that's the lowest mark it has had since last year's race. At the price, its a sporting each way bet off a falling mark against many on rising marks.
It's also worth a shrapnel bet on ASKING FOR ANSWERS who should we hope benefit from a wind operation about 5 - 6 weeks ago. It has won off 92 and been runner up off 97 on its last 2 runs here so some nice course and distance form and they were on soft and heavy so no Going concerns. Off a mark of 90, if the wind operation has been even of marginal benefit the horse can be looking to place at least.
TRACKER - Real Armani / shrapnel - Asking For Answers.