N.H. racing at Hexham, Kempton and Plumpton

German-bred Tora Bora (Brendan Powell/ Jimmy McCarthy) had been in the doldrums for a long time before coming back to form with an easy win at Southwell last week and can follow up in the handicap chase at 15.30 CET over 3 miles 1 furlong at Hexham. The best race here is the handicap chase over the same trip at 17.00. Bay Cherry (Howard Johnson/ Brian Hughes) has been in good form on soft ground, but the going today will be very different.

Mr. Pointment, previously with Paul Nicholls and before that with Charlie Egerton, is now trained by Paul Murphy, who prompty ran him in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, in which he was not surprisingly tailed off. Obviously this is much easier, and even with top weight he must have a good chance. However our fancy is Reel Charmer (Alistair Charlton/ Mr. A.J. Findlay), who goes well for this jockey and won well at Kelso 8 days ago. Malcolm Jefferson has his string in good form, and his Overbranch (James Halliday), who made all to win over this CD last time, has good prospects of following up in the mares handicap hurdle at 17.30; Heavenly Chorus (Keith and James Reveley), who goes well on fast ground, looks the danger.

At Plumpton, Ray Mond (Sean Curran/ Alan Freeman) goes for his fifth successive win in the conditional jockeys handicap chase at 15.50. However all these wins have been on soft ground, so he can be opposed today by Shanahan (Luke Corcoran/ Peter Toole), who certainly goes on the ground. Tony McCoy is at Plumpton to partner Bangkok Pete for Brendan Powell in the novice hurdle at 16.20, who appears to have a simple task.

That is the only ride at Plumpton for McCoy, who then rushes off to Kempton´s evening meeting. He has prospects here on Jonjo O´Neill´s Rapid Increase in the 3 mile handicap chase at 18.55; this one has been first or second on his last 4 starts, but is another who might prefer more ease in the ground. Sea Cadet (Lucy Mongan/ Rhys Flint), who goes well on fast going, and bottom-weight Thedreamstillalive (Jim Old/ Timmy Murphy) could both prove troublesome.