We send a team of four to Hexham on Tuesday, where the going after a lot of rain is good to soft, soft in places.
Worth The Walk is first up at 3.50.pm, in the 0-100 novices handicap chase over three miles, with Conor O'Farrell who has ridden her the last twice, retaining the ride. Worth The Walk has finished down the field on all three of her hurdles runs for us since arriving from Ireland, but was the winner of an Irish point to point last year, and placed a further three times from her five starts. If she can transfer that point form on her handicap chase debut, then an opening mark of 78 looks within her compass.
The ex French Galidam got off the mark at Moulins on his final French start last September, and has since made his stable debut for us at Wetherby in a novices hurdle nearly nine weeks ago, when weakening from three out to finish in fifth place. He makes his handicap debut here from a mark of 109, and will strip fitter for that initial run. Galidam runs at 4.20.pm, in the 0-120 handicap hurdle, over two miles, with Brian Hughes retaining the ride.
We will be doubly represented at 4.50.pm, in the 0-120 handicap chase over two miles and four furlongs. Both of our representatives missed their intended engagement at Carlisle on Sunday because of the ground, and will find this surface far more suitable. Halpha Soleil came bang back to form at Hexham last time when finishing runner up, for which he has been nudged up 3lb, but remains on the same mark as his last hurdles success also at Hexham last June. He will be ridden by Brian Hughes for only the second time, and will have the addition of cheek pieces for the first time.
Our other runner in the race is Trac who has been a prolific winner for the yard, having won seven races since arriving from France in the autumn of 2021. His last success was just under a year ago when winning the prestigious 'Go North One Man Series Final Handicap Chase' from the same mark as now, but in his three starts since, he has failed to fire, and he will now race for the first time since wind surgery. It's the softer the better for Trac, who should get his conditions, with his regular rider Connor O'Farrell in the saddle.
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Good luck to the connections, Phil Ellerby, M H O G, Randall Orchard, Gary King & Partners, and T I S Partnership.
Halpha Soleil.
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