4.10pm Hexham Tips & Preview 06/10/2017

A small field but a competitive enough early season event with plenty of interesting candidates. Read on for our free betting tips, predictions and analysis.

IN SUMMARY: Irish Raider Bitview Colin and the progressive Little Bruce command respect, but RYEDALE RACER could prove the best of these. He improved steadily throughout last season and reappears with Malcom Jefferson’s string in fine fettle.

1 RYEDALE RACER – Won a couple of novice hurdles before entering into handicap company. He hasn’t quite continued progressing, but he will love underground conditions and this might be an easier race than some of the ones he has been contesting. His stable is in fine form and he should go well back from a break.

2 LITTLE BRUCE – Returns from a 189 day break but was progressive at the end of last season and may not be done improving yet. His fitness will have to be taken on trust, but a few of these are coming off similar breaks and he has a very solid look to his profile.

3 BITVIEW COLIN – Beaten a long way in a number of his recent starts and hasn’t been looking particularly well handicapped. It’s interesting that his trainer brings him over from Ireland for the first time in what might not be the strongest race and he has the excellent Danny Mullins doing the steering – not ruled out.

4 BEYONDTEMPTATION – The outsider of the field and rightly so having been badly out of form recently. He is race fit, however, and has won over course and distance so isn’t a lost cause at a big price.

5 EBONY ROSE – Ran a good third at this course either side of wins at Perth and is a generally progressive hurdler. He will need to pull out more to overcome a seven pound rise and ground softer than he has run on to date, but it is not impossible. Considered.

6 SKIPTHESCALES – Comes off a long break after showing a decent enough level of ability in novice events earlier in the year. A mark of 106 is not overly harsh and a change of stable may help, so he remains a very interesting competitor.