3:42 Hexham
A small but competitive Class 4 handicap hurdle at Hexham over 2m7f63y on good ground serves as a qualifier for the Go North Brindisi Breeze Series. With five runners and no obvious front-runner, the KTB Fit Scores point to a tight contest at the top where Coded Welder (62), Do No Wrong (59) and Blakey Boy (57) head the ratings, while the two outsiders step up in class or trip.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape lacks a leader and points to a steadily-run, tactical affair in which being handy should pay. Every horse in the field is a hold-up type who produces its effort late, so the race is likely to develop into a sprint from the final bend with positioning and timing critical. The key question is which of the closers can best handle the steady gallop and deliver at the business end without getting caught out of their ground.
The KTB Fit ranking
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1Coded Welder KTB Selection62/100
Coded Welder arrives as the KTB Selection with a Fit Score of 62. A smart performer, he has shown consistent form without winning of late and finished fourth here on his only previous visit to Hexham. He steps up in trip today having been placed at this distance on his one attempt, which looks a fair question given his placed record on good ground where he has been competitive without winning from nine starts. The yard has a 33% strike rate at Hexham with an A/E of 0.92 from three runs, while Sean Bowen brings a 30% strike rate at the track from 40 rides and an A/E of 0.97. Usually held up, he produces his effort late and his recent form reads 248534 from an official rating of 111.
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2Do No Wrong59/100
Do No Wrong is rated just behind on a KTB Fit Score of 59. This smart performer has won at today's trip and looks well suited by the step back up in distance. He boasts a solid record on good ground with six wins from 24 starts and 12 places, while the yard's 14% strike rate at Hexham from 35 runs carries an A/E of 0.79. Only one previous run here ended in a pull-up, yet the combination of trip and surface gives him every chance to bounce back from his latest effort. Usually held up with high confidence in that assessment, his recent form is 1P21-7 from an official rating of 115 and he is ridden by Callum Bewley.
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3Blakey Boy57/100
Blakey Boy carries a KTB Fit Score of 57 and is dropping in class. A smart performer, he has won once from four starts at Hexham and holds solid placed form on good ground with one win and three places from three starts. He drops back from three miles today having failed to win in two previous attempts at this trip. The trainer maintains a 10% strike rate at the track from 48 runs with an A/E of 0.96, while jockey Craig Nichol has a 12% record at Hexham from 289 rides and an A/E of 0.85. Usually held up with high confidence, his recent form reads 2211P- from an official rating of 106.
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4Robert d'Ores50/100
Robert d'Ores is a fair performer with a solid record at this track, winning three times from 18 starts here. He has also won at today's trip and showed his best recent effort when third at Hexham last time out; stepping up in class, he is usually held up with high confidence in that run-style.
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5Dalileo45/100
Dalileo is a useful performer on his day with a solid record on good ground that includes four wins from 30 starts and 13 places. He steps up markedly in trip today for a yard that operates at a 6% strike rate here from 126 runs; this is his first run at Hexham, he has no recent wins and is usually held up with high confidence.
KTB verdict
Coded Welder is the KTB Selection. He brings consistent recent form, has already shown he handles Hexham, and steps up to a trip at which he has been placed while the yard and jockey both have strong records at the venue. Do No Wrong is the obvious danger, given his record at the trip, his good-ground prowess and the yard's respectable strike rate here, while Blakey Boy cannot be dismissed as a course winner dropping in class with solid placed form on this surface. The steadily-run race should suit all three hold-up performers, but the selection looks best placed to strike late.
KTB Selection Coded Welder
This is the narrative read of the 3:42 Hexham. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Hexham racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Hexham results & records page. How favourites, trainers, jockeys and the draw have fared here over the last five years is on the Hexham racecourse statistics page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse has won the most times at Hexham?
Robert d'Ores has won three times from 18 starts at Hexham.
Who has the best trainer strike rate at Hexham among the principals?
Coded Welder's trainer Cian Collins has a 33% strike rate at Hexham.
Which horse is dropping in class?
Blakey Boy is dropping in class.
How many of the runners have previous winning form at today's trip?
Do No Wrong and Robert d'Ores have won at today's trip.
Which runner is making its first appearance at Hexham?
Dalileo has no course form on record and this is his first run at Hexham.
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