Morning is good for Lucinda
MORNING TIME came good at Hexham last time for Lucinda Russell and, despite that ending a two-year wait, he is selected to follow up at the same venue today.
To be fair to the 11-yearold, the two-year hiatus has been spent on handicap marks of 100-plus and over fences. The son of Hawk Wing has appreciated a ratings drop.
Last time, three weeks ago, he had dropped to a plater’s mark of 74 when defeating The Pine Martin a lengthand-a-half, under young Alexander Thorne.
The apprentice is on board again today, claiming his 7lb, and, having been raised only four to 78, he can come good again at a track he likes.
Jackie Stephen takes Mo Rouge on the trip from Inverurie to Hexham and the nine-year-old has everything in his favour in the staying handicap chase.
A winner off 110 in the past, the far-traveller ran really well off 94 when beaten a neck by Smuggler’s Stash at Carlisle, and he has been dropped a further pound today.
You can forgive the son of Croco Rouge his subsequent run, when well beaten at Kelso. He’s a stayer who needs a good break between runs and that one came too swiftly.
Vercingetorix looks reasonably treated in the twoand-a-half-mile handicap hurdle, after winning nicely on the flat at Ayr three weeks ago, and is now rated 72.
After his last hurdle run at Perth, when fourth to Attest in a decent-looking contest. when two miles would have been too sharp, conditions should be fine.