2:32 Hexham
This Class 5 Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Handicap Hurdle over 2m48y at Hexham serves as a qualifier for the Go North Sea Pigeon Series. A field of ten runners lines up on good ground where the KTB Fit scores point to a competitive but not especially deep race, with the top two rated modestly ahead of the rest. The principals bring a mixture of recent winners, course specialists and those with something to prove, while the overall standard of form is useful rather than exceptional for the grade.
How the race shapes up
With two or more habitual front-runners declared, a strong pace is likely and confidence in that assessment is high. Tracker Issue, Littletown Lad and Malangen all tend to make the running or race prominently, which sets up the possibility of the pace collapsing in the latter stages. That shape would favour the hold-up horses such as Bobby Socks, Jedhi Knight, Snapaudaciaheros and several others in the field, making late closing ability the key question in the race.
The KTB Fit ranking
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1Tracker Issue KTB Selection63/100
Tracker Issue is rated a useful performer who arrives in decent nick having shown consistent form of 66295 this season. He drops back in trip having failed to make the frame in three previous tries at this distance while his record on good ground is solid rather than sparkling. The yard continues in good order at Hexham with a 24% strike rate from 25 runs, and the trainer and jockey combination shows a 14/76 (18%) record with an A/E of 0.96. As a front-runner who tends to make the running or race on the pace, he is sure to be prominent in a race where the pace is expected to be strong.
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2Littletown Lad58/100
Littletown Lad is a useful performer on the balance of his ratings and recent form that includes two wins and a third from his last four starts. He drops back in trip today having been placed without winning at this distance and holds a solid record on good ground with two wins and four places from eight runs. The yard has a 17% strike rate from 127 runs at Hexham, and the trainer and jockey combination shows a 172/1313 (13%) record with an A/E of 0.90. As another front-runner who tends to make the running or race on the pace, he will be right up there early in a contest likely to be run at a strong gallop.
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3Bobby Socks54/100
Bobby Socks is a useful performer on his day with a solid record on good ground that includes three wins from nine runs. He is dropping back in trip today after a couple of lacklustre runs and the first-time headgear is a plausible positive, though he was well held when he tried this track once before. The trainer has a modest 3% strike rate at Hexham from 64 runs with an A/E of 0.39, while the jockey shows a 14% strike rate from 428 rides with an A/E of 0.99. As a horse who is usually held up and produces his effort late, he is the type to benefit if the strong pace collapses.
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4Jedhi Knight54/100
Jedhi Knight is a useful performer who has shown consistent form in this grade and has already won over today's trip. He has placed both times on good ground and arrives off the back of three runs this year, though none were especially strong. The yard has a modest record at Hexham with a 0% strike rate from eight runs and an A/E of 0, while the trainer and jockey combination shows a 1/43 (2%) record with an A/E of 0.40. Usually held up and producing his effort late with high confidence, he should be well placed to strike if the race falls apart late on.
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5Snapaudaciaheros53/100
Snapaudaciaheros is a fair performer who has won twice at Hexham from five runs and also has two wins from six starts at this trip. He has shown decent form on good ground with two wins and two places from eight runs. The yard's modest 8% strike rate at the track from 283 runs is a negative, though the jockey has a strong 21% strike rate at Hexham from 39 rides with an A/E of 1.49. Usually held up and producing his effort late with high confidence, he will be looking to come from off the pace in a race where the strong gallop could suit him.
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6Huit Reflets47/100
Huit Reflets is a fair performer who has won at this track and at today's trip. He has been out of form for some time with a string of modest efforts and now drops back in distance after his latest run over further. The yard has a solid 17% strike rate at Hexham.
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7Walk On Son45/100
Walk On Son is a fair performer who has shown little spark this season and was pulled up on his last two starts. He has run twice at Hexham without placing and is now dropping back in trip having failed to win in six attempts at this distance. The yard has a solid 17% strike rate here from 53 runs.
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8Billy Bathgate44/100
Billy Bathgate is a fair 10-year-old who has won four times at today's trip from 18 attempts and brings solid overall ratings and race history. He has never placed from seven runs on good ground though and makes his first start at Hexham today. The yard has a 10% strike rate here from 48 runs. He is stepping up in class.
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9Malangen40/100
Malangen is a fair 11-year-old who has won over this trip and at this track. He has been consistent enough of late without winning, though his trainer's modest 6% strike rate at Hexham is a negative. The drop back from 2m5f looks a plus given his record at today's distance. He tends to make the running or race on the pace.
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10Bouboule36/100
Bouboule is a fair performer who has been consistent enough to keep his mark in range but has failed to win or place in 23 starts. He has shown some aptitude for this track with two respectable efforts here and drops back in trip today having looked stretched over further last time. The yard's modest record at Hexham and his complete lack of success on good ground add to the negatives.
KTB verdict
Tracker Issue is the KTB Selection. He arrives in decent nick with consistent recent form and the yard is operating at a 24% strike rate at Hexham, while his prominent racing style fits the shape of a race set to be strongly run. Littletown Lad looks the obvious danger having won two of his last four starts and boasting a good record on good ground, and he too will be towards the front. Bobby Socks, Jedhi Knight and Snapaudaciaheros are the main hold-up threats if the pace does collapse late as expected.
KTB Selection Tracker Issue
This is the narrative read of the 2:32 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 is dropping back in trip after failing to make the frame in three previous attempts at this distance?
Tracker Issue
How many wins has Littletown Lad recorded on good ground from eight runs?
Two wins from eight on good (four placed)
What is the trainer's strike rate at Hexham for the handler of Bobby Socks?
3% strike rate at Hexham (A/E 0.39 from 64 runs)
Which runner has won twice at Hexham from five starts and also twice at this trip from six attempts?
Snapaudaciaheros
How many times has Malangen won at this track from 13 runs?
One win from 13
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About the A/E figures in this preview. They are the data supplier’s: the winners a trainer or jockey had, divided by the winners the starting prices implied, over the runs in that record. Above 1.0 means more wins than the prices suggested. It is not KTB’s fair A/E, which allows for the bookmakers’ margin and the favourite–longshot bias, and the two are not comparable.
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