Hexham 2.25

The 4 mile trip is the key here, the Going won't be deep, but its a tough track and still takes some getting in Good to Soft. The obvious ones are BATTLE DUST disqualified after losing lead weight from weight cloth at Cheltenham and Course specialist KILCULLEN FLEM. However; can't be sure how much that weight cloth issue impacted on the "first past the post" of Battle Dust and Kilcullen Flem makes seasonal debut. So at a price I will have a punt on ALTO DES MOTTES. This one seems to have been around ages yet only 8 years old. I remember a race back in 2018 when as a Novice it was desperately unlucky to be caught on the line in a slog over 3 and 3/4 miles by Lackammon at Catterick. After that race it was labelled "A National Horse in the making" by no less than Lackamons Trainer Sue Smith. Things have not gone right since, but it has had a run and has more proven form than almost anything else in the race over extended trips, other than old Scotswell (could plod on at big odds). With many needing to run a mile further than ever before, I think ALTO DES MOTTES could be some value IF getting in to a nice rhythm (could easily be back of the TV horse too but the Odds are too good to ignore on that one bit of form).