TippingPlay of the day

Richard Birch's play of the day at Hexham

Lewa House
4.30 Hexham

Lewa House, who goes well on testing ground at Hexham, can take advantage of a career-low mark when he returns to Northumberland for division two of the 2m4f handicap hurdle (4.30).

A course-and-distance winner off an official rating of 82 in November 2022, the son of Yeats has dropped to 79 after two defeats this year at Ayr.

Lewa House never looked like troubling the judge on either occasion, having been settled towards the rear, but did stay on strongly from the second-last to snatch third behind Follow Charlie last time out.

The handicapper has eased Lewa House’s mark by 5lb for those performances and everything looks in place for a big run here, as he will be carrying just 10st 1lb and receives a double-digit amount of weight from all bar one of his eight rivals.

Master Breffni, who must shoulder 12st, was by far the last off the bridle when winning easily at Carlisle last month. A 7lb rise looks fair, but he’ll do well to concede 27lb to Lewa House in very testing conditions.