Racecards
13:45 Aintree
John Smith's Mersey Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) (Class 1)
- 8 Runners
- Distance: 2m 4f
- Going: Good to Soft, Good in places
- Surface: Turf
- £60,000 added
- Winner: £34,170
- 2nd: £12,822
- 3rd: £6,420
- 4th: £3,198
- Form 46-1139
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 156
- Trainer P F Nicholls
- Jockey Ruby Walsh
tracked leaders on inside, not fluent 1st, lost place 3rd, pushed along and last 6th, driven after 4 out, soon well beaten, tailed off
- Form 1-21312
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 141
- Trainer N G Richards
- Jockey B P Harding
mostly tracked leader until ridden after 4 out, 4th and beaten 2 out, weakened flat
- Form 2-41133
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 126
- Trainer James Moffatt
- Jockey B S Hughes
held up in rear, effort after 4 out, never on terms with leaders, jumped left 3 out, modest 5th but well beaten from 2 out
- Form 112U6P
- Age 6
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 136
- Trainer D T Hughes
- Jockey B J Cooper
held up in touch, closed before 7th, challenged approaching 3 out, hung left and no impression on winner when dropped to 3rd flat
Ubak (FR)
24- Form P4-2347
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 130
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey J E Moore
held up towards rear, headway approaching 6th, pushed along before 3 out, led and mistake 2 out, driven clear after last, stayed on strongly
- Form F1-1F11
- Age 5
- Weight 11-4
- Official Rating 142
- Trainer D McCain Jnr
- Jockey J M Maguire
led, ridden and headed approaching 3 out, weakened before next, tailed off
- Form 141115
- Age 5
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 140
- Trainer N J Henderson
- Jockey B J Geraghty
tracked leaders, went 2nd 4 out, led before next, ridden and headed 2 out, went 2nd again flat, no chance with winner
- Form 421216
- Age 4
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 133
- Trainer Mrs S J Humphrey
- Jockey Aidan Coleman
held up on outside, closed 7th, outpaced 4 out, soon well beaten, pulled up before 3 out
Verdict
Utopie Des Bordes may have found 3m just too far at Cheltenham but had won a Listed race over this trip at Sandown earlier and handled good ground well enough when successful at Doncaster. The mare should be thereabouts in this but Dodging Bullets has questions to answer over the trip and after a modest effort over 2m at The Festival. We're going to concentrate on a couple that by-passed Cheltenham with Eduard likely to be suited by a step up in distance. His third to Melodic Rendezvous at Cheltenham in December has worked out well, though he was a little disappointing when beaten at Kelso last time. UP AND GO fell in a Grade 2 at Sandown in December but is otherwise unbeaten under Rules and his latest victories at Wetherby and Ascot have been franked - he can make all in this.
Formwatch
Dodging Bullets 12-1 (11-7) Mid-division, headway and brief effort on outside 3 out, weakened next, 9th of 12, well behind Champagne Fever (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m nov hdl Grade 1 (1) sft in Mar.
Eduard (IRE) 4-5fav (11-5) Held up in touch, headway to track winner 4 out, challenged 2 out, ridden between last 2, kept on and every chance flat, held towards finish, 2nd of 6, 3/4l behind Mwaleshi (11-8) at Kelso 2m 2f nov hdl G2 (1) sft in Mar.
Morning Royalty (IRE) 5-1 (11-3) Led, headed before 2 out, soon weakened, 3rd of 4, 35l behind Duke Of Navan (11-3) at Kelso 2m 2f hdl (2) hvy in Feb.
Seefood (IRE) 10-1 (11-3) Towards rear, no extra approaching 3 out, pulled up next, in a race won by Bright New Dawn (11-3) at Thurles 2m 4f nov hdl Grade 2 (1) sft in Feb, 8 ran.
Ubak (FR) 100-1 (11-7) Led until 2nd, led narrowly after 4th, headed 3 out, lost place before next, soon well beaten, 7th of 8, 26l behind The New One (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m 5f nov hdl Grade 1 (1) gs in Mar.
Up And Go (FR) 15-8fav (11-5) Made all, mistake 1st, clear after 3 out, very easily, eased closing stages, won at Ascot 2m 3f nov hdl (2) sft in Feb beating Aaim To Prosper (11-0) by 6l, 7 ran.
Utopie Des Bordes (FR) 12-1 (11-0) Held up in touch on inside, lost place 8th, pushed along to close after 3 out, weakened approaching last, 5th of 13, 25l behind At Fishers Cross (11-7) at Cheltenham 3m nov hdl Grade 1 (1) sft in Mar.
Vasco D'Ycy (FR) 7-1 (11-0) Prominent, led after 1st, not fluent next, headed 3rd, led again before 3 out, soon headed and beaten, 6th of 8, 29l behind Ruacana (11-0) at Chepstow 2m 4yo hdl Grade 1 (1) hvy in Jan.