Skip to content

Racecards

12:50 Hexham

European Breeders Fund 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle (Qualifier) (Class E)

  • 5 Runners
  • Distance: 2m 110y
  • Going: Good
Weighed In
  • Winning Time: 4m 22.30s
  • 5 Ran
Go to Full Result
1
Silk -

Gunson Hight

50/1

    2
    Silk -

    Duke of Brittany (FR)

    28/1

      1
      Silk - Black, Yellow star, Black sleeves, Yellow stars, Black cap, Yellow star

      Dark Character

      23
      1/7
      • Form 216-1
      • Age 4
      • Weight 11-0

      tracked leader, refused 3rd

      2
      Silk - Emerald Green, Pink hooped sleeves, Pink cap

      Destino

      47
      12/1
      • Form 603
      • Age 4
      • Weight 11-0

      tracked leaders, mistake 1st, outpaced next

      3
      Silk - MAUVE and PINK check, WHITE sleeves

      Duke of Brittany (FR)

      25
      28/1
      • Age 4
      • Weight 11-0

      led, ridden and headed 2 out, soon one pace

      4
      Silk - Black, light blue cuffs and cap

      Gunson Hight

      310
      50/1
      • Form 00-
      • Age 6
      • Weight 11-0

      held up in touch, headway halfway to track leader, challenged 3 out, led next, stayed on strongly

      5
      Silk - Black, white cross of Lorraine and armlets, striped cap

      Esp Hill

      205
      16/1
      • Form 56-3
      • Age 5
      • Weight 10-9

      not jumped well, soon behind, reminder 2nd, lost touch halfway

      In depth

      Verdict

      Alan Swinbank looks to have found another winning opportunity for Dark Character here, and he can follow up over Destino and Esp Hill. Sixth in Aintree's Champion Bumper in April, it was no surprise when Dark Character defied a penalty for an earlier Southwell success when scoring at Bangor on his return. Sure to have been well schooled, he can make a winning start over timber here. Destino showed only moderate form here and is best watched as he too makes the transition to hurdling, while a similar comment applies to Esp Hill, also seen here in the past. Quite simply, Dark Character will prove hard to beat and is a confident selection.