Racecards
17:35 Hexham
Metro Centre Intermediate National Hunt Flat (Class H) (Class _)
- 8 Runners
- Distance: 2m 110y
- Going: Good to Firm, Good in places

Arctic Echo
19- Form 1
- Age 5
- Weight 11-11
- Trainer G A Swinbank
- Jockey D C Costello
prominent, headway to lead 4f out, driven 2f out, kept on well final furlong, pushed out

- Form 0-
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer J Jefferson
- Jockey F King
held up in rear, headway over 3f out, ridden over 1f out, never able to challenge

- Age 4
- Weight 11-4
mid-division, headway halfway, lost place 5f out, ridden and weakened 2f out

Italiano
19- Form 5
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer C Thornton
- Jockey G Berridge
mid-division, headway 4f out, ridden to chase leaders 2f out, kept on under pressure final furlong

- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Trainer Mrs K Walton
- Jockey R Utley
in touch, outpaced 2f out, soon ridden, kept on same pace from over 1f out, never trouble leaders

- Age 4
- Weight 11-4
tracked leader, pushed along halfway, soon lost place, tailed off final 2f

- Age 6
- Weight 10-11
- Trainer J Parkinson & S Smith
- Jockey P Madden
led, headed 4f out, ridden 2f out, stayed on under pressure to chase winner inside final furlong

- Form 03-
- Age 5
- Weight 10-11
- Trainer James Moffatt
- Jockey P Aspell
towards rear, headway over 3f out, ridden 2f out, soon weakened
In depth
Verdict
Arctic Echo can follow up his course and distance debut win, mainly at the expense of Italiano and, possibly, Barrow Brook. The selection stormed to victory on his debut and connections seem to have found a fairly soft option for him in his bid to follow up. Of the others, Impact Crusher, Victor One and Lost And Found have interesting Flat breeding, while Sue Smith's runners always have to be respected in this sphere so watch the betting with regard to Barrow Brook's chances, and Italiano has nearly 14 lengths to find based on his debut run behind the selection. Overall, then, it is hard to get away from the chances of Arctic Echo and, accordingly, he is the selection.