May 11 / 17.10 Hexham

17.10

Good

Paxtons Heart Of All England Maiden Hunters’ Chase (For The Heart Of All England Trophy)

  • Prize money: £3593.1
  • 3m 0f 41y
  • Class 4
  • 8 runners
SKY
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Paxtons Heart Of All England Maiden Hunters’ Chase (For The Heart Of All England Trophy)

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Hunter Chase

Surface: Turf

Weather: Mostly cloudy

OUR TIP

8/1 (Won)

  • Win: £11.00
  • Place: £2.90

Form:

Last run:

W: 12st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Has about 6l to find with Toucan Sam on their recent point clash and there are others to worry about; tongue tied first time.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

3

6th May 2026

Good

2m 7f 96y

Class 4

17:02 Kelso

Dressedtoimpress

12st 0lb

J: Mr Nick Orpwood

T: Miss Joanne Murphy

Lightly raced 10yo; won the Heart Of All England (maiden hunter chase) at Hexham last May (3m, good); pulled up over same C&D last month on only run since; bit to prove.

25/1

2

13th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 41y

Class 5

17:00 Hexham

Dressedtoimpress

11st 12lb

J: Mr Nick Orpwood

T: Miss Joanne Murphy

Very lightly raced 10yo who won the Heart Of All England Maiden Hunters' Chase over C&D (good) in May 2024; however, others have stronger form and this is his first outing since.

33/1

1st

3

11th May 2024

Good

3m 0f 41y

Class 4

17:10 Hexham

Dressedtoimpress

12st 0lb

J: Mr Paddy Barlow

T: Miss Joanne Murphy

in touch with leaders

8/1

8/1

  • Place: £1.60

Form: 6/PP6-

Last run: 26 days

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 77

Form & Verdict
Just behind Amma Lord at Kelso before finishing third at Overton two weeks ago; looks vulnerable.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

13

8th Mar 2025

Soft

3m 0f 70y

Class 5

16:35 Ayr

Toucan Sam

10st 8lb

J: Alan Doyle

T: Andrew Hamilton

His mark continues to fall but this 7yo remains a maiden after 21 rules starts and recent evidence doesn't indicate a win is imminent.

25/1

10

19th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

3m 0f 84y

Class 5

15:20 Doncaster

Toucan Sam

11st 2lb

J: Alan Doyle

T: Andrew Hamilton

Made it 0-20 under rules when pulled up over fences at Ayr last week; however, before that he posted two fair runs over hurdles (2m5f/2m) and shaped as though he would benefit from this longer trip; well treated on last spring's chase form; could appreciate the return to hurdling; interesting.

33/1

9

11th Feb 2025

Soft

3m 0f 20y

Class 5

16:20 Ayr

Toucan Sam

10st 13lb

J: Alan Doyle

T: Andrew Hamilton

19-race maiden; placed in handicap, a couple of hunter chases and in two points last year; two fair runs over hurdles this term after wind surgery; well handicapped but others appeal more.

20/1

6/4

  • Place: £1.10

Form:

Last run:

W: 12st 0lb

9 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Three-time point winner who two years ago got to within 5l of this year's Cheltenham Festival heroine Sine Nomine; collared late on last week at Dingley and the winner has some eyecatching point form to his name; player.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

2

11th May 2024

Good

3m 0f 41y

Class 4

17:10 Hexham

Cool Desire

12st 0lb

J: Mr John Dawson

T: Mrs John Dawson

towards rear, awkward jump 4th

6/4

3rd

2

11th May 2024

Good

3m 0f 41y

Class 4

17:10 Hexham

Cool Desire

12st 0lb

J: Mr John Dawson

T: Mrs John Dawson

towards rear, awkward jump 4th

6/4

Form: 2/275/

Last run: 412 days

W: 12st 0lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 101

Form & Verdict
Twice runner-up over hurdles for Sam Thomas and four weeks ago made it sixth-time lucky in points, comfortably beating Slaney Opera; every chance.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

6

11th May 2024

Good

3m 0f 41y

Class 4

17:10 Hexham

Sponthus

12st 0lb

J: Mr Thomas Easterby

T: W H Easterby

in rear

11/4

4th

6

11th May 2024

Good

3m 0f 41y

Class 4

17:10 Hexham

Sponthus

12st 0lb

J: Mr Thomas Easterby

T: W H Easterby

in rear

11/4

5th

3

26th Mar 2023

Good To Soft

2m 2f 111y

Class 4

13:07 Exeter

Sponthus

11st 11lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Sam Thomas

Very lightly raced 8yo who made pleasing return from long absence when second (albeit no match for winner) in Chepstow maiden (2m3f, good to soft) in November; below that form after racing too freely at Huntingdon on Boxing Day but should have some improvement to come in handicaps.

11/2

Form: 4/6/4/

Last run: 1824 days

W: 12st 0lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 82

Form & Verdict
Showed some ability for Sue Smith several seasons ago; up and down in points but won his latest last month when 2l too good for the odds-on favourite.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

4

11th May 2024

Good

3m 0f 41y

Class 4

17:10 Hexham

Lucky Lucarno

12st 0lb

J: Mr Joe Wright

T: Tom Sowerby

pressed leaders early

4/1

5th

4

11th May 2024

Good

3m 0f 41y

Class 4

17:10 Hexham

Lucky Lucarno

12st 0lb

J: Mr Joe Wright

T: Tom Sowerby

pressed leaders early

4/1

Form: 37P/5-

Last run: 26 days

W: 12st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 77

Form & Verdict
33-1 when beaten 17l at Kelso last month, finishing just ahead of Toucan Sam who was a lot shorter in the betting; one-paced when beaten 7l in a point two weeks ago.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

1

20th Apr 2026

Good

2m 7f 96y

Class 4

17:00 Kelso

Amma Lord

12st 0lb

J: Miss Lucy Brown

T: Miss Lucy Brown

Dual point winner; gave good account when fourth (just behind Theoldboggroad) in this race a year ago but has not been at his best in points this season and needs help from the new cheekpieces.

20/1

1

10th May 2025

Good

3m 0f 41y

Class 4

17:15 Hexham

Amma Lord

12st 0lb

J: Miss Lucy Brown

T: Miss Lucy Brown

Ran poorly in this race a year ago but led close home to win soft-ground point at Friars Haugh in February and returned to racing under rules with very respectable fourth in Buccleuch Cup at Kelso (2m7f, good) last month.

7/1

1

10th May 2025

Good

3m 0f 41y

Class 4

17:15 Hexham

Amma Lord

12st 0lb

J: Miss Lucy Brown

T: Miss Lucy Brown

Ran poorly in this race a year ago but led close home to win soft-ground point at Friars Haugh in February and returned to racing under rules with very respectable fourth in Buccleuch Cup at Kelso (2m7f, good) last month.

7/1

Form:

Last run:

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Maiden pointer; no match for Sponthus on penultimate start and was no better last time.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

1

25th May 2026

Good To Firm

2m 7f 129y

Class 5

13:00 Huntingdon

Slaney Opera

12st 0lb

J: Harry Reed

T: Nick Scholfield

3-16 in points and 2-9 over fences; two respectable runs for this yard, over 3m5f and 3m on good ground; obvious claims provided switching cheekpieces for blinkers doesn't backfire.

6/5

4th

4

16th May 2026

Good

3m 0f 30y

Class 5

16:30 Bangor-on-Dee

Slaney Opera

11st 10lb

J: Harry Reed

T: Nick Scholfield

Majority of rules and point wins have been recorded around sharp left-handers, but found the fences coming too quickly even for him at Fakenham on last month's stable debut (3m5f, good; debuted cheekpieces retained here); no surprise were he to prove better than that again.

9/2

3rd

1

13th Apr 2026

Good

3m 5f 24y

Class 5

16:10 Fakenham

Slaney Opera

12st 0lb

J: Harry Reed

T: Nick Scholfield

Former pointer/hunter chaser who won Sedgefield handicap (3m2f, good to soft) for Ruth Jefferson in January and signed off for her with clear second at Wetherby (3m, good) last month; upped in trip and fitted with cheekpieces for this stable debut; likely contender.

11/8

Form: /50/P-

Last run: 348 days

W: 12st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Placed a few times in points but now 0-18 in that scene after finishing third in a small field two weeks ago.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

11th May 2024

Good

3m 0f 41y

Class 4

17:10 Hexham

Turnthelightsoff

12st 0lb

J: Mr William Easterby

T: Miss R Hayton

didn't jump with fluency, raced in last

16/1

8

11th May 2024

Good

3m 0f 41y

Class 4

17:10 Hexham

Turnthelightsoff

12st 0lb

J: Mr William Easterby

T: Miss R Hayton

didn't jump with fluency, raced in last

16/1

9

29th May 2023

Good

2m 6f 92y

17:00 Ballinrobe

Turnthelightsoff

11st 4lb

J: Sean O’Keeffe

T: P F McEnery

Tailed off in a maiden/bumper last summer and has since extended his losing sequence in points to 13; unlikely to be anywhere near good enough here.

100/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £47.60
Straight Forecast £48.36
Trifecta £173.60

Selections

The Times:

Sponthus

SPOTLIGHT:

Cool Desire

D Express:

Dressedtoimpress

POSTDATA:

Toucan Sam

Telegraph:

Cool Desire

The Guardian:

Cool Desire

The Sun:

Cool Desire

Daily Mail:

Sponthus

Daily Mirror:

Sponthus

The Star:

Sponthus

Daily Record:

Sponthus