1:42 Hexham
This Class 5 conditional jockeys' handicap hurdle at Hexham over 2m48y on good ground brings together a field of 10 where the KTB Fit scores are tightly bunched at the top. The principals are separated by just three points on the figures, with recent form, course records and trainer/jockey combinations at the track all carrying weight. Bobby Socks tops the KTB rankings and is the selection, though several others have shown enough to make this a competitive renewal.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape suggests a fairly even tempo with no obvious front-runner dominating. Several hold-up types including Bobby Socks and Zephlyn will be looking to come from off the pace, while National Question and Les's Legacy have shown the ability to race prominently. The key question is whether the race develops into a test of stamina up the hill or if those with a turn of foot can pick up the pieces late on.
The KTB Fit ranking
- 1Bobby Socks KTB Selection57/100Smart performer who has won three times on good ground and arrives in decent nick having placed on three of his last four starts.
- 2National Question56/100National Question is a fair performer with a solid record here, winning one of two starts at Hexham.
- 3Zephlyn56/100Useful performer who has won five times over today's trip from 27 attempts and arrives off the back of a solid placed effort last season.
- 4Newport55/100Newport is a useful performer on his day but arrives here on the back of a poor effort when last of 12 at Sedgefield.
- 5Character Testing54/100Useful performer who has been competitive on good ground and at this trip without winning either.
- 6Les's Legacy52/100Useful performer who has won four times at this track from 16 starts and returns to a trip where he has also scored twice.
- 7Stay In The Game48/100Useful performer who won over this trip earlier this season and has placed on good ground.
- 8Snapaudaciaheros48/100Snapaudaciaheros is a fair performer who won over this trip and track last season before pulling up on return.
- 9Malangen42/100Malangen is a fair 11-year-old who has been consistent of late with three seconds in his last five starts and holds a solid course record having won here from 1…
- 10Curious Mrs Fox40/100Fair performer who has been competitive on good ground without winning.
The contenders
Bobby Socks KTB Fit 57/100
Bobby Socks is a smart performer who has won three times on good ground and arrives in decent nick having placed on three of his last four starts. He drops back to a trip he has won over though he was well held when last seen over slightly further. The nine-year-old is dropping in class which looks a positive and his record of three wins from seven starts on good ground reads well. Trainer Lizzie Quinlan has a 3% strike rate at Hexham with an A/E of 0.43 from 58 runs while jockey Alan Doyle is on 4% with an A/E of 0.32 from 51 rides. The combination of recent placed form and a return to a winning distance makes him the one to beat.
National Question KTB Fit 56/100
National Question is a fair performer with a solid record here, winning one of two starts at Hexham. He has dropped back in trip today having last run over two and a half miles yet boasts three wins from twelve starts at this distance. The yard holds a strong 24% strike rate at the track with an A/E of 1.24 from 21 runs while the jockey is operating at a modest 5% from 40 rides with an A/E of 0.51. His course form gives him a clear edge over several rivals and the return to this trip should suit. Recent form of 51516- shows he is capable of going well when fresh.
Zephlyn KTB Fit 56/100
Zephlyn is a useful performer who has won five times over today's trip from 27 attempts and arrives off the back of a solid placed effort last season. Only one win from nine runs on good ground leaves some doubts about his effectiveness under these conditions while the jockey's modest 3% strike rate at Hexham with an A/E of 0.31 from 32 rides is another negative. Trainer Ewan Whillans holds a respectable 12% strike rate here with an A/E of 1.05 from 43 runs though the horse has never run at this track before. Stepping up in class adds another layer of difficulty but his trip record remains a strong positive.
Newport KTB Fit 55/100
Newport is a useful performer on his day but arrives here on the back of a poor effort when last of 12 at Sedgefield. He drops back in trip having won over this distance in the past though his record on good ground shows three placed efforts from 12 starts without a victory. The trainer has an 11% strike rate from 101 runs at Hexham with an A/E of 0.84 while jockey Tom Midgley matches that 11% figure from 89 rides with an A/E of 1. Recent form of P322-0 highlights the need to bounce back from that last run but he cannot be entirely dismissed on his best days.
Character Testing KTB Fit 54/100
Character Testing is a useful performer who has been competitive on good ground and at this trip without winning either. Placed on five of his 16 attempts at today's distance and shown consistency of late with form figures of F23-52. Trainer Mark Walford has a solid 17% strike rate at Hexham with an A/E of 1.11 from 231 runs while jockey Tristan Durrell matches that 17% figure from his 12 rides here with an A/E of 0.79. The five-year-old looks sure to give his running once more and his consistency makes him a reliable each-way contender in a race where many have questions to answer.
The rest of the field
Les's LegacyKTB Fit 52/100
Les's Legacy is a useful performer who has won four times at this track from 16 starts and returns to a trip where he has also scored twice. Recent form is patchy and he was only fourth here last time after a break though the drop back from 2m5f looks a positive. Trainer Susan Corbett has a modest 9% strike-rate here from 280 runs with an A/E of 0.88 while jockey Jack Power is operating at 7% with an A/E of 0.43 from 15 rides.
Stay In The GameKTB Fit 48/100
Stay In The Game is a useful performer who won over this trip earlier this season and has placed on good ground. Only one previous run at Hexham resulted in a modest third and the yard has failed to land a winner from nine attempts here with an A/E of 0. Dropping in class is a positive but the lack of course success for the trainer remains a concern.
SnapaudaciaherosKTB Fit 48/100
Snapaudaciaheros is a fair performer who won over this trip and track last season before pulling up on return. He has shown enough on good ground in the past and holds a solid course record of one win from three starts here. The trainer's modest 8% Hexham strike rate with an A/E of 0.61 from 275 runs is offset by the jockey's stronger 18% record at the venue with an A/E of 1.31 from 33 rides.
MalangenKTB Fit 42/100
Malangen is a fair 11-year-old who has been consistent of late with three seconds in his last five starts and holds a solid course record having won here from 13 runs. He drops back in trip today having last run over 2m4f and has won twice from 22 starts at this distance though his record on good ground is modest with just two wins from 27 runs. The trainer has a 6% strike rate from 124 runs at Hexham while the claiming jockey has had only two rides at the track.
Curious Mrs FoxKTB Fit 40/100
Curious Mrs Fox is a fair performer who has been competitive on good ground without winning. Drops back in trip today having failed to trouble the judge in two previous tries at this distance and makes her first appearance at Hexham. Trainer's modest 3% strike rate here from 118 runs adds a note of caution while the jockey has had too few rides at the track to judge.
KTB verdict
Bobby Socks looks the pick after a string of placed efforts and with the drop back to a winning trip in his favour. The selection has shown he handles good ground well and the class drop should help him get back to winning ways. National Question is the main danger thanks to his record at Hexham and proven ability at this distance, while Zephlyn's trip record and Character Testing's consistency mean they cannot be ruled out. Les's Legacy is another with strong course form but needs to improve on recent efforts.
KTB Selection Bobby Socks
Morning odds
Best available price per runner, captured 00:02 UTC, 13 Jun. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Morning price | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Bobby Socks | 12/1 | Midnite |
| National Question | 8/1 | Bet365 |
| Zephlyn | 11/1 | 7Bet |
| Newport | 6/1 | Bet365 |
| Character Testing | 4/1 | Bet365 |
| Les's Legacy | 9/2 | 7Bet |
| Stay In The Game | 13/2 | 7Bet |
| Snapaudaciaheros | 9/1 | Bet365 |
| Malangen | 9/2 | 7Bet |
| Curious Mrs Fox | 33/1 | Bet365 |
This is the narrative read of the 1:42 Hexham. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Hexham racecard. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse has the strongest course record at Hexham?
Les's Legacy has won four times at this track from 16 starts while National Question, Snapaudaciaheros and Malangen have also won here.
Who has the best trainer strike rate at the track among the principals?
Mark Walford has a 17% strike rate at Hexham from 231 runs with Character Testing while Adam Nicol is on 24% from a smaller sample with National Question.
Which runners are dropping in class for this race?
Bobby Socks and Stay In The Game are both dropping in class.
How many wins has Zephlyn recorded over today's trip?
Zephlyn has won five times over today's trip from 27 attempts.
What concerns are there for the selection on this surface and track?
Bobby Socks has no course form on record and the trainer and jockey both have modest records at Hexham.
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