Hexham
Left handed, undulating, with a steep climb from the end of the back straight to the finish. Races over hurdles are generally steadily run, but be wary of horses kicked for home a long way out, the testing finish regularly catching out those who look to be moving comfortably in a clear lead before meeting the uphill section. Fences are rightly regarded as easy, causing a low proportion of casualties.
A beautiful northern track where uphill and down dale is the order of the day. The fences are on the easy side, with lovely hedged wings, and the boards are painted yellow for some reason. The ground conditions make a big difference around here. If you are on a good enough jumper you can really steal a few lengths by letting them roll down the back straight. There’s a really stiff hill up to the final bend and if you’re not on the bridle here you’re in trouble. The home straight is pretty flat and short; it’s just getting there with some horse left underneath you that’s the trick. Race tactics here can be tricky depending on pace in the race and ground conditions, so it’s always important to do your homework.