Hexham Tips: Discovery pending for in-form Jones

There's plenty of racing action on Friday with six meetings taking place across Britain and Ireland, combining a mix of National Hunt with all-weather fare.

We're taking a closer look at the Hexham jumps card, with six races scheduled from 12:25 to 15:20 at the Northumberland venue on ground forecast to be heavy, soft in places.

Our Hexham fancies include one for in-form jockey Charlotte Jones on a day when she has a promising book of rides.

13:00 - Lunar Discovery @ 10/3

Claiming rider Jones will head to Hexham on Friday afternoon as one of the weighing room's in-form performers after a couple of wins from her last six outings.

She notched wins here and at Carlisle in October for trainer James Moffatt and will bid to land another for the same handler on board Lunar Discovery in the Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Mares' Novices' Hurdle over two-miles.

The daughter of Pether's Moon won her first two bumpers at this venue and at Wetherby either side of a 200-day layoff last season. At Ayr in February, Lunar Discovery was then denied by only the slenderest of margins in a driving finish – after which the mare was disqualified for her rider breaching the whip rules.

Her final start last season came in a Grade 2 contest at Aintree's Grand National Festival in the spring where she was understandably outclassed, but that's easily forgiven.

There should be a relatively bright future ahead for Lunar Discovery as a hurdler and, with that course experience in her locker, a winning start is forecast with no worries about her ability to go well fresh.

14:10 - Artemis Kimbo @ 8/1

The Jones-Moffatt partnership have another live chance in One Mill Harbour in the Sidgwick Memorial Novices' Handicap Chase, with the gelding having scored at Carlisle in last month's comeback. He's 5lb higher now and joins recent course second Overcourt on the shortlist, but Dan Skelton's Artemis Kimbo gets the verdict instead.

The mare showed promise last season over timber, scoring on debut at Leicester in maiden company in December before finishing second and third in subsequent starts at Lingfield in January and Huntingdon in April.

A mark of 112 looks a fair starting point as she begins her chasing career and with Fergus Gillard taking off a valuable 3lb in the saddle, they look to have a leading chance.

15:20 - Cowboy Cooper @ 7/1

Trainer Susan Corbett enjoyed a one-two here last month as Champ Royal stayed on powerfully to overhaul front-running Atomic Angel. The winner is no certainty to be in the same mood again, although the runner-up could well be sharper for that seasonal bow and may go close again.

However, preference is for Cowboy Cooper in any case. He showed some improvement at the end of last season once switched to handicaps and he returns on what is a lowly rating and will benefit from going up in distance.

He's lightly-raced and gets a chunk of weight from the aforementioned pair and could be an improver now that his stamina can come into play.