3.20 Hexham Tips & Betting Preview 25/06/2017

A shame that only seven have been declared for the Hexham feature, a three mile chase. It looks a competitive race nonetheless, read on for our full preview and tip for the contest.

IN SUMMARY: Recent form is in short supply here but TICKENWOLF loves this track with two wins and a second in three visits and is a pound lower than his last success. He has been in poor form of late but a return here could easily see him leave those runs behind. Both Presented and Presenting Junior are others too well handicapped to ignore, with the latter especially interesting as another who has shown plenty of smart course form in the past.

1 HEIST – Has been in consistent form of late, an unseat the only time he has finished worse than third in his last eleven starts. He was a little disappointing at Ffos Las on Thursday night, under pressure a long way out, he could only plug on at one pace in third. He looked like the return to the slower cadence of a chase might see him in a better light but this is a quick turnaround and that is a concern.

2 THE GREY TAYLOR – Has looked regressive since finishing third on his handicap debut in December 2015. He has slipped a stone in the weights since then but his stamina has looked a question mark at two and a half miles in the past so three miles on such a stiff track have go to be a huge doubt.

3 TICKENWOLF – Three previous visits to the track have seen two wins recorded and a neck second, now a pound lower than his most recent win. He has shown very little in a pair of starts in 2017, pulled up behind Mister Don at Musselburgh before beating that same rival half a length when both were well beaten at Kelso. He is a pound better off now with jockey’s claims taken into account and is interesting at a decent price at a track he clearly likes.

4 MISTER DON – Enjoyed a productive season, winning off 91 and 97. He had a hard race at Perth over 3m 6f when runner up in the Highland National and he may still have been feeling the effects of that effort a month later when well seen off at Kelso. Looks on a tough enough mark now and might need a break to freshen him up before returning in the Autumn.

5 GARRAHALISH – A tricky customer, he is just 1/23 including point to points, when running over 2m 4f or further, 3/8 at 2m3f or less. A stiff track is no concern with three of his four wins having come at Towcester but the trip at this big gallop is going to put more pressure on his stamina than he is likely to handle.

6 PRESENTED – Strong stayer, he is seven pounds below his last winning mark, from July last year. Thirteen pounds better off with Mister Don for a nine length beating at Musselburgh from when they met in November gives him a solid chance of turning that form round if he can find his old form from somewhere. His 2017 form leaves plenty to be desired but he is too well handicapped to ignore.

7 PRESENTING JUNIOR – Another who has been struggling to show his best in 2017, he is down to a mark some nineteen pounds below his last winning mark. That was in April 2015 and it has been a sorry story in the main since, but he has three wins in five starts at Hexham in the past and his affinity for the track from such a lowly mark, may well see him amongst the prize money here.